Luis de la Fuente insisted on Saturday that Spain does not have a racism problem.
His comments arrived ahead of his team’s Nations League showdown against England.
The manager stated there is “no racism” in Spain, according to Yahoo Sports.
His assertion comes despite an upcoming stadium punishment for anti-Muslim chanting earlier this year.
La Roja will play their next home friendly with a reduced capacity as a penalty for supporters singing a discriminatory chant during a fixture against Egypt in March.
Furthermore, numerous incidents of racist abuse at Spanish football matches have occurred in recent years, including those targeting Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
England players also previously faced racist abuse during a game in the Spanish capital in 2004.
The controversy intensified after England coach Thomas Tuchel said he would speak to his players about the anti-racism protocol in place before Sunday’s match in Madrid.
Tuchel later clarified his comments, noting he was not specifically talking about Spain.
He criticized reporters for creating “a lot of confusion for absolutely nothing”, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
The England manager added he never specifically discussed racism in Spain but was merely answering a question about existing protocols.
Meanwhile, De la Fuente addressed the status of star attacker Lamine Yamal.
Yamal missed Spain’s win over the Czech Republic on Thursday with a knee problem.
Regarding the player’s availability for Sunday, De la Fuente said, “We’ll see if he starts, but if he plays, it will be because he is fit to do so.”
He noted he was not sure if Yamal could manage a full 90 minutes but confirmed the athlete is in perfect shape.
The match remains a focal point for officials regarding the enforcement of anti-racism protocols.