Chants of “Vallecanos, junkies and gypsies” came from the travelling Rayo fans

Tonight at the Bernabeu, during Real Madrid’s 2 - 1 win over Rayo Vallecano, several footbal accounts on social media condemned Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu for a chant: “Vallecanos, junkies and gypsies”. It was though this was something that Madridistas shouted at Rayo’s players.

However, video evidence emerged that Rayo Vallecano fans themselves were the ones chanting “Vallecanos, junkies and gypsies” at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Wednesday, and not Real Madrid fans as previously reported.

The chants, which refer to the stereotypes of the people from Vallecas, a working-class neighborhood in Madrid where Rayo Vallecano is based, were initially thought to be directed at Rayo’s players, but the song is chanted by Rayo fans who sing it ironically about themselves.

Footage from DAZN España showed that the chants were actually coming from the away section of the stadium, where Rayo Vallecano fans were seated. The fans have explained in the past that they had adopted the chant as a way of irony and self-deprecation, after other teams sang them to insult them.

They said that the chants were a way of celebrating their humble and diverse roots, and that they were not meant to be derogatory or discriminatory. Rayo Vallecano also expressed their solidarity with Vinícius Jr. and condemned racism in football.

Real Madrid fans also showed their support for Vinícius Jr. by giving him a standing ovation in the 20th minute of the match, corresponding to his shirt number. The player thanked them on social media after the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw.