A Spanish court has convicted four people who hung an effigy of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior off a highway bridge two years ago, the league said on Monday.
The defendants were found guilty of hate crimes after hanging a black figure , with Vinicius' name on it, in the Spanish capital before a Copa del Rey match against rival Atletico Madrid in January 2023.
Along with the effigy that was hung by its neck, there was a banner with the words "Madrid hates Real."
A defendant who disseminated images of the act online was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a hate crime, and seven months for threats.
The other three defendants were each sentenced to seven months in prison for hate crimes and seven months for threats. The four of them must complete a training program on equal treatment and non-discrimination to have their prison sentences suspended.