James Nnaji: Barcelona react as Real Madrid fans racially abuse Nigerian star

The Barcelona basketball team has denounced the racial taunts directed at Nigerian player James Nnaji during their triumph over archrival Real Madrid in the Spanish championship game.

As the teams arrived at the WiZink center in Madrid, the site of Tuesday's Liga Endesa final, numerous Madrid fans reportedly threw insults at Barca players, including racist remarks directed at Nnaji.

The incident on Tuesday occurs as Spanish sports grapple with the widespread outcry brought on by racism directed towards Vinicius Jr., a Brazilian football star for Real Madrid. 

In May, a 22-year-old Brazilian striker who had lived in Spain for five years denounced the racial abuse he had experienced there.

The statement by Barcelona said, "FC Barcelona strongly condemns the racist insults suffered by the first team basketball player, James Nnaji, before the third match of the Liga Endesa final played at Real Madrid's court.

"The Club, which has already informed the competition of the events that happened, expects a firm and exemplary response from the ACB, against any racial or verbal abuse."

He said, “I want to talk about what happened here with James Nnaji. I think it’s regrettable. I hear a lot about Vinicius, and now it’s us who have to talk about what’s going on.

“It has to stop now. It doesn’t fit, I guess, with the values of Real Madrid and its supporters, and we have to be very angry about that.”

Tuesday's final saw Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 93-82 after winning the previous two games to claim the club's 20th Spanish league championship.

In the championship game, 18-year-old Nnaji played for only eight minutes and 35 seconds, yet he was crucial to his team's victory.