Sabadell goalkeeper Diego Fuoli apologizes after leading anti-Sánchez chants from town hall balcony, club condemns incident
Sabadell's Diego Fuoli prompted a crowd to insult Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during the team's promotion celebration on Saturday, sparking club condemnation and a public apology.
The incident
On Saturday, after securing promotion with a 4-0 victory over Zamora the previous day, CE Sabadell players paraded through the city on an open-top bus, ending at the Sabadell town hall. From the balcony, goalkeeper Diego Fuoli took the microphone and addressed the crowd. He prompted fans: "I'm going to say a phrase and you answer with whatever comes out: Pedro Sánchez…" The crowd responded with "hijo de puta" (son of a bitch), directed at Spain's prime minister. The chant was repeated several times as Fuoli smiled and approved from the balcony. The town hall is governed by the Socialist Party (PSC), to which Sánchez belongs. The act marred what was meant to be a joy-filled institutional celebration.
- Sabadell beats Zamora 4-0, secures promotion to LaLiga Hypermotion
- Team parades on open bus, players appear on town hall balcony; Fuoli incites crowd to insult PM Sánchez
- Fuoli apologizes on X; club issues statement condemning the incident
Fuoli's apology
It was the result of the euphoria of the moment and a harmless joke that turned into a giant snowball.
The 28-year-old goalkeeper from Zaragoza posted a statement on X, asking forgiveness from the club and his teammates for "tarnishing the celebration of a historic season." He acknowledged that his words, though meant as banter, had escalated. He said he had been carried away by the emotions of the past few days.
Club's condemnation
The CE Sabadell FC regrets and rejects expressions directed against the President of the Government of Spain during the institutional celebration on the balcony of Sabadell Town Hall, which are inappropriate for an institutional act and do not represent the values or spirit of the entity.
The Catalan club issued an official statement emphasizing its open and plural character, being a club from a diverse and inclusive city. It stressed that a celebration meant to share collective joy should not have been accompanied by such manifestations. The club recalled that respect, inclusion, and coexistence are core to its identity.
Political fallout
Minister of Transport and former mayor of Valladolid, Óscar Puente, reacted on social media. He quoted the late comedian Pepe Rubianes: "Esto es lo que pasa cuando le das dinero a un tonto. Que enseguida le sale el facha" (This is what happens when you give money to an idiot. He immediately shows his fascist side.) The mayor of Sabadell, Marta Farrés (PSC), who had earlier received the team in the plenary hall, did not publicly comment on the episode. Some critics noted the irony of the insults being led from a PSC-run town hall.
Aftermath
The incident has drawn widespread media coverage in Spain, with many outlets highlighting the growing normalization of insults against political figures at public events. Fuoli, who joined Sabadell just a year ago and became a key figure in the team's return to professional football after five years, faces scrutiny for his conduct. The club will likely face pressure to ensure such incidents do not recur, especially ahead of its participation in the 2026-27 LaLiga Hypermotion season.
