The release of Vinicius Junior’s new Netflix documentary, Baila, Vini [Dance, Vini], has stirred controversy in Spain, with La Liga side Valencia CF threatening potential legal action against the production company behind the series. The docu-series, which launched globally last week, shows the Brazilian star’s journey from his humble beginnings to football superstardom but a segment depicting alleged racist abuse at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium has sparked backlash.
One particular episode includes scenes from a May 2023 match against Valencia, where Vinicius was allegedly subjected to racist chants. The documentary features a TikTok clip with subtitles alleging that Valencia supporters shouted "monkey, monkey" at Vinicius. But the club has claimed that they were actually shouting “tonto,” which is “stupid.”
Valencia taking to X wrote, "As a response to injustice and falsehoods made towards the Valencia CF fanbase, the club have made a demand in writing to the producers of the documentary regarding their portrayal of what occurred at Mestalla, which does not correspond with reality. Truth and respect for our fans must prevail. Valencia CF reserve the right to legal action corresponding to the situation."
Valencia head coach Carlos Corberan addressed the situation during a recent press conference but maintained that he had not personally seen the documentary or the viral clips.
“I don't have TikTok and I haven't seen the documentary. I know the Club is considering what to do. I understand that people are listening, not just reading. I'm focused on the game,”
Has Valencia taken legal action about racism claims?
This is not the first time Valencia have reacted to claims about racism at their stadium. Earlier, they also threatened to take legal action against Rodrygo, who is a teammate of Vinicius at Real Madrid and Brazil. Rodrygo had said during a press conference in 2023 that the entire Mestalla crowd was chanting monkey at Vinicius during their 1-0 defeat in 2023.
