Aragones critics 'are real racists'

Angel Maria Villar, the president of the Spanish FA (RFEF), has launched a furious attack on Luis Aragones' critics.

The Spanish national team coach was recently fined £2,000 by the RFEF for his comments about Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, although the fine was not for racism but for 'lack of decorum.'

That has angered the Spanish anti-violence commission, who have launched an appeal in an attempt to get the punishment increased, something which has infuriated Villar, who claims they, in fact, are the real racists.

"The racists are those who are pursuing Luis Aragones," said Villar. "He has already apologised for any offence given.

"I don't understand how they want to condemn someone who is not racist and who has committed no act of this kind.

"There is nothing more racist than those attitudes which consistently pursue another person, in this case Luis Aragones, and they are the racists," he continued.

Although Villar talked about Aragones' apology for the remarks he made about Henry on the training pitch, he insisted Aragones had not apologised for racism.

"He apologised, not for a racist attitude, but in case anyone had been offended, and it's not right that they want him to apologise all of the time. That's enough, leave him in peace!" he said.

Those words have drawn a response from Spain's national commission against intolerance, whose president Esteban Ibarra was quick to criticise Villar.

"Villar understands nothing about the battle against racism, and by saying that, he has simplified the problem and made the same mistake Luis (Aragones) made.

"Instead of apologising he has made things worse. It is the wrong message, you cannot compare the racists to the victims," he said.