FA stay firm over Madrid
13 April 2012
England are set to meet Spain in a friendly next February but will refuse to play in Madrid because of fears over racist abuse.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were all taunted the last time England visited the Bernabeu in 2004.
The Football Association said today: "We are in discussions with the Spanish Federation but, as yet, a venue is still to be confirmed and the contract still to be signed.
"However, from the outset, the FA, with Fabio Capello, were clear we would not play the fixture in Madrid due to the incidents of racial abuse we faced last time."
