Real Madrid announced on Monday that its EuroLeague game against Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv will be played behind closed doors due to security concerns, AFP reported, marking the latest disruption to Spanish sporting events involving Israeli teams.
More than 250 organizations have called for Thursday’s match at Madrid’s Movistar Arena to be suspended over Israel’s war in Gaza, and are planning a rally outside the venue on the day of the game.
“Following a meeting of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sport, which declared the game high-risk, Real Madrid is complying with the recommendation made by the National Police," the club said in a statement on Monday.
Over the past year, protests targeting Israeli athletes over Gaza have repeatedly impacted major sporting events in Spain, where pro-Palestinian Arab sentiment remains strong.
The most prominent example was the Vuelta cycling grand tour, which cancelled its finale in Madrid and shortened other stages after demonstrators entered the course.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has positioned himself as one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s policy in Gaza, accusing the Jewish state of genocide.
In November of 2023, Spain’s Ambassador to Israel was summoned by the Foreign Ministry after Sanchez claimed that "Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza."
Last April, Sanchez criticized what he called Israel's "disproportionate response" in the Gaza war, saying it risks "destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world".
In May, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares advocated for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.