ANTI-racism campaigners Kick It Out will call for tough sanctions if England players are taunted during next week's friendly in Seville as they were during their last match in Spain.
Piara Powar, the director of Kick It Out, is hopeful there will be no repeat of the 2004 clash in Madrid when monkey chants were aimed at England's black players.
Powar has been encouraged by some measures taken by UEFA since - and he feels any evidence of racist chanting next Wednesday should be dealt with strongly.
"The damage the 2004 fixture did to the perception of Spanish football runs deep," he said.
"Subsequent incidents in which governing bodies have been too lenient on racist fans in domestic games, have done little to alter this view.
"We are hoping a repeat of those traumatic events five years ago in Madrid will not take place in Seville on Wednesday. If there is, the resulting action should be severe.
"We are witnessing a growing appetite to change the way European football is governed in respect to social issues. I see the type of policy initiatives that are coming from UEFA, for example, as having a definite impact over the long term.
"We also now have a new generation of confident black players who are sure of their place and are speaking out by making clear what is unacceptable to them and the environment they want to play in.
"Figures such as Lilian Thuram, who captained Barcelona, and Spain international Marcos Senna, are very clear about the change they want to see in all areas of the game, on or off the field of play."
Powar has been encouraged by some measures taken by UEFA since - and he feels any evidence of racist chanting next Wednesday should be dealt with strongly.
"The damage the 2004 fixture did to the perception of Spanish football runs deep," he said.
"Subsequent incidents in which governing bodies have been too lenient on racist fans in domestic games, have done little to alter this view.
"We are hoping a repeat of those traumatic events five years ago in Madrid will not take place in Seville on Wednesday. If there is, the resulting action should be severe.
"We are witnessing a growing appetite to change the way European football is governed in respect to social issues. I see the type of policy initiatives that are coming from UEFA, for example, as having a definite impact over the long term.
"We also now have a new generation of confident black players who are sure of their place and are speaking out by making clear what is unacceptable to them and the environment they want to play in.
"Figures such as Lilian Thuram, who captained Barcelona, and Spain international Marcos Senna, are very clear about the change they want to see in all areas of the game, on or off the field of play."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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