Espanyol has accused Barcelona and Spain defender Mapi Leon of “invading the privacy” of their player, Daniela Caracas, following an incident during a Liga F match.
In the 15th minute of the derby between the two Barcelona-based teams on Sunday, Leon and Caracas collided as the Espanyol player defended a set-piece. It appeared that Leon made contact with Caracas in the groin area.
Espanyol expressed their “complete disapproval and condemnation” of the incident, which was widely shared on social media. As a result, Colombian center-back Caracas has faced “hundreds of insults” on social media, according to Espanyol.
Later on Monday, Leon issued a statement denying any inappropriate behavior.
“At no point did I, nor was it my intention, violate the personal space of my fellow professional Daniela Caracas,” she said. “As the footage shows, it was simply part of a play where she touched me intentionally, and I reacted by touching her leg and saying, ‘what’s up with you.'”
She emphasized, “There was no contact with her private areas, and absolutely no intent behind it. It was just part of the game, and it shouldn’t have received the attention it did.”
Leon also condemned the online harassment that Caracas has been subjected to, stating that it had nothing to do with her actions and offering her full support.
Espanyol, in a statement on their website, called the incident “unacceptable and something that should not be overlooked.”
They noted that although Caracas didn’t react immediately, she later reflected on the situation, recognizing the seriousness of the gesture. However, Caracas chose not to react angrily to avoid disciplinary consequences and to protect the team.
The statement also expressed concern about the online abuse faced by Caracas, stating, “We are worried that instead of focusing on the incident itself, some media coverage has shifted to unrelated issues that distract from the seriousness of the event.”
BBC Sport has reached out to Liga F for a statement.
Barcelona, who secured a 2-0 victory, are currently five points ahead at the top of Liga F, while Espanyol sit in 13th place out of the 16 teams in the league.
Leon, 29, is an important player for Barcelona, having won five league titles and three Champions League trophies with the club.
Caracas, 27, is a Colombia international and was part of the team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
