By Spanish women’s soccer club Espanyol has expressed “complete discontent” towards the behavior of Barcelona Femení player Mapi León after the two teams faced each other on Sunday.
In the 15th minute of the Barcelona derby, León appeared to touch Espanyol’s Daniela Caracas in the groin area and say something as the two players jostled for position. León has denied any wrongdoing and said there was “NO contact with (Caracas’) private parts, and certainly no intention.”
Footage of the incident has since been widely shared on social media, and in a statement released on Monday, Espanyol said that the conduct of defender León “should not be overlooked” and “violated the intimacy of our player.”
The club added: “Although Caracas was unable to react at the time due to the impact of the situation; later, after assimilating what had happened, she became aware of the seriousness of the gesture, but chose not to react angrily in order to avoid a disciplinary sanction that would harm the team.
“In addition to what happened on the pitch, there was a regrettable response on social media, where our player has been the target of insults from hundreds of profiles.”
Espanyol also said that it has made the club’s legal services available to Caracas, should she wish to take further action.
Barça ended up winning the match 2-0 and is now five points clear at the top of Spain’s Liga F – the top flight of women’s soccer in the country.
León, who has played more than 50 times for the Spanish national team, is a key player for Barcelona, winning five league titles and three Women’s Champions Leagues.
She said in a statement shared by the club and signed with her full name, María Pilar León Cebrián: “At no time did I, nor was it my intention (to), infringe upon the intimacy of my fellow professional Daniela Caracas.
“As the images show, it was part of a playing action in which she deliberately touches me and I touch her leg saying in reaction to the clash: ‘What’s up with you?’ I insist, it was just part of the game that does not warrant the importance that has been attached to it.
“The idea of touching the private parts of a colleague would never enter my head, it goes against my principles and I would never do such a thing. I condemn the harassment that Daniela appears to have been suffering on social networks, which has nothing to do with me, and I offer her my most sincere support.”
León also said that she reserves the right to take legal action against anyone who “might be seeking to exploit this strictly footballing incident to cause me damage and continue spreading unfounded accusations.”
Barcelona said that it has nothing to add about the incident beyond the statement issued on behalf of León. CNN has contacted Liga F and Espanyol for further comment.
