Unpaid salaries, Players Racing Santander Make Protest on Tiananmen

Santander - The second leg quarterfinal Copa del Rey between Racing Santander and Real Sociedad stopped just after kick - off . Santander players do not want to play because their salaries have not been paid for several months .

Santander players have released a joint statement on Monday ( 01/27/2014 ) and then , the contents of which they would boycott the game against Sociedad , except President Angel Lavin and board of directors would resign .

The demand was not met the players until late kick- off match at El Sardinero , Friday ( 31/01/2014 ) pm dawn . The threat of a boycott was finally really come true .

After the referee blew the whistle signaled the start of the game , players Sociedad kick - off . But , Santander camp was trying to catch the ball . Instead, they gathered in the center of the pitch circle holding hands .

Meanwhile , on the sidelines , the players and the coaching staff reserve also show solidarity . These protests have the support of the fans that meet the Santander grandstand spectators .

Recognizing the protest camp Santander , Sociedad players just pass the ball in their own territory for about a minute . The referee finally stopped the match after consultation with the captain Santander , Mario Fernandez .

" Now we mixed feelings between sad and happy . Extremely regrettable , but ultimately must be like this , " said Santander midfielder , Javi Soria , told Canal Plus TV .

" Since Monday , it was clear that we wanted and tonight we showed we are a team . We hope that everything could be solved because we just want to play again and try to make the best Racing , " he added .

" We hope there will be no legal consequences because we do this for the good of football , for the good of this city , and for Spain as a whole because many similar cases and we wanted to make an example , " said Soria .

Santander , which is currently competing in the Segunda B ( third caste Spanish League ) , of Sociedad lost 1-3 in the first leg . Given this action , Sociedad reportedly will automatically qualify for the semi-final , where Barcelona are already waiting for them .

(fad/det)