Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has rejected suggestions that racism remains a problem in Spanish football, insisting that the country is no more racist than England ahead of Sunday’s Nations League meeting between the two sides in Madrid.De la Fuente made the comments after being asked about Thomas Tuchel’s decision to remind England players of UEFA’s anti-racism protocol before the fixture. The match will decide who finishes top of League A Group 3, but the build-up has also brought renewed attention to previous incidents of racist abuse in Spanish football.England’s last visit to Madrid was overshadowed by racist chanting directed at their players during a 2004 match at the Bernabeu. More recently, the Spanish Football Federation was fined and ordered to partially close a stadium after Islamophobic and xenophobic chants targeting Muslims during a game against Egypt in Barcelona.Asked whether Tuchel’s comments demonstrated that more work was needed to tackle racism, De la Fuente responded: “What I’d tell you, and you can tell Thomas, is that in Spain, there’s no racism.De la Fuente rejects racism concerns ahead of Spain’s Nations League clash with England“Just like that, crystal clear. Just like in England, there’s no racism in Spain. We aren’t racist, any of us.”The remarks come against the backdrop of repeated racist abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. Three Valencia supporters were sentenced to eight months in prison in 2024 for racially abusing the Brazilian.Tuchel sought to clarify his position on Saturday, saying he had not expected racist incidents and had simply explained what would happen if any occurred. He expressed confidence that the match would take place in a friendly atmosphere, bringing supporters together rather than dividing them.England midfielder Declan Rice also stressed that the squad understood the protocol, recalling previous incidents in Montenegro and Bulgaria when players left the pitch following discriminatory abuse.Away from the controversy, De la Fuente described Spain and England as two of the leading teams in world football, but rejected the idea that either could simply adopt the other’s style.“I prefer the Spanish model. It’s very recognisable, the players are perfectly adapted,” he said. “The English model is very good, but you have to have that type of player. Neither England can play like Spain, nor Spain like England.”The Spain coach also praised the quality of Spanish footballers and suggested they were undervalued compared with players in the Premier League. He remained cautious over whether Lamine Yamal would start, saying the Barcelona forward’s involvement would depend on his fitness.Read more – Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa return to England training ahead of Spain matchSee also – Chelsea consider Jules Kounde move as Barcelona open door to January exitFollow the Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTokThe post De la Fuente dismisses racism concerns before Spain vs England clash appeared first on The Football Faithful.