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Peru team involved in massive brawl with Spanish police after they're mistaken for fans
Peru were preparing to take part in a friendly in Madrid against Morocco.
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Members of the Peruvian national team were involved in a heated altercation with Spanish police offers in front of their hotel in Madrid on Monday. Following their 2-0 defeat by Germany on Saturday, the South American side are scheduled to play against Morocco on Tuesday evening in Madrid but were met with hostility in the Spanish capital.
Images and videos circling on social media showed the Peru players outside the hotel watching and engaging with their singing fans, before one member of the team was pushed back by a police officer. As the player attempted to move the police officer an encounter ensued, with several members of the team, police and supporters involved in a mass brawl.
Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese spoke to Peruvian TV about the incident prior to their match at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium. "We wanted to greet the people and [the police] started hitting us," he said.
ESPN claimed that Gallese, Alex Valera and Yoshimar Yotun were the most affected after the team were mistaken for supporters at their hotel after a training session.
There was no official response from the Madrid Municipal Police but the Peruvian Football Federation issued a statement adding their support for Gallese: “The FPF is in complete solidarity with and supports our national team player Pedro Gallese, whom we have been accompanying since the incident took place.
“We also reiterate that we are respectful of the authorities and procedures of each country we visit. For this reason, we are at the full disposal of the internal and external control bodies to help clarify what happened.”
Orlando City’s Gallese could be seen showing that his top had been torn as he was pushed back towards the hotel entrance, while Yotun appeared to be arguing with a police officer and reports claimed that he was defended by Gallese and Valera before the brawl ensued.
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En la previa del amistoso vs. Marruecos, los jugadores de Perú sufrieron un escandaloso momento con la policía española en el banderazo: ¡los confundieron con fanáticos en el hotel! Alex Valera, Pedro Gallese y Yoshimar Yotún, los más afectados. pic.twitter.com/8Q6wucwmPE
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) March 27, 2023
Gallese, Yotun, Valera and Jose Carvallo all went to the police station to give their statements, while Peruvian journalist Diego Montavlvan has claimed that a police officer said that he was hit by Gallese.
Meanwhile, Peruvian outlet Diario Libero have said that it was not until shortly before 5.00am Tuesday morning that the goalkeeper left the station, returning to the team hotel and avoiding a charge.
Earlier on Monday, local news agency EFE said a Spanish hotel employee was detained for allegedly racially insulting the Peruvian national team in posts on social media.
A 27-year-old Spanish national was detained at the hotel at around midnight on Sunday, a spokeswoman for Madrid's municipal police force said, after officers were sent to the hotel following a complaint.
Peru's friendly with Morocco is still expected to go ahead without disruption.