Sevilla vice-president Jose María del Nido Carrasco has defended sporting director Monchi in the aftermath of Sunday’s controversy at Real Betis.
Betis directors plan to ban Monchi from the stadium for his actions during and after the 1-1 draw, where it’s claimed he insulted opposition officials and provoked home fans.
But Del Nido Carrasco said: “Since Monchi arrived, he began to receive insults and humiliations from Betis employees and fans. There is a crucial fact for me and in the face of which we cannot look the other way.
“In the first minute, in the South Goal of the stadium, authorized by Betis, a tifo is exhibited in a match declared high risk, in which the figure of our general sports director and our player Joan Jordán is illustrated, with a stick, and frivolizing and apologizing for a declared violent act and that forced to suspend a match.
“It has put in the focus of 55,000 Betis fans the figure of Monchi.
“When the game ends, Monchi goes down to the pitch as he does every game, with a free circulation accreditation. I hear shouts down the stairs and then I see how he is insulted by players, members of the coaching staff, employees, even area directors and even a counselor I know, says twice ‘Monchi you’re a clown’.
“We give unconditional and unwavering support for Monchi, because when he is insulted, Sevilla is insulted, like any member of our club. The leaders, what we have to do in a game like this is throw the ball on the ground and generate a good atmosphere.
“In the behavior that I saw from Monchi and that he has told me, he did not have any inappropriate behavior. We talked about provoking violence, but Monchi goes down to greet the Sevilla fans as he has been doing for 20 years.”
