MADRID, Nov 28 (Reuters) – Espanyol’s Cameroon goalkeeper Carlos Kameni was distracted by abuse from a section of the Atletico Madrid crowd during his side’s 1-1 draw in the Primera Liga, according to coach Miguel Angel Lotina. « He was a little uncertain on a couple of occasions and this was because of the murmuring coming from behind the goal, » Lotina said.
Kameni and Espanyol’s Brazilian midfielder Fredson were both subjected to monkey chants from Atletico’s radical fans behind one of the goals on Sunday.
With Atletico chasing a winner towards that end of the pitch in the closing stages, Kameni made a couple of errors which almost gifted the home side a goal.
« This noise affected him, » Lotina added. « He was trying to stop the ball entering the goal and to block out things from off the field. It broke his concentration. »
Kameni, who last year had a banana thrown at him in the corresponding fixture, said the chants had put him off.
« You want to play without distractions but this type of thing upsets you a little. Some people don’t come just to support their team, » he told reporters.
Last season Atletico were fined 600 euros ($705.4) after fans racially abused players from a visiting team during a Primera Liga match.
