The LaLiga match between Getafe and Alaves was briefly suspended on Saturday after home fans targeted Mason Greenwood with offensive chanting calling for the player to ‘die’.
The Manchester United loanee has been the frequent subject of abuse from opposition supporters in the wake of his move to the Spanish side last summer.
The forward was shipped out from Old Trafford last September after it was mutually agreed he would play no further role with the club following an internal investigation.
The investigate by Man United came after charges of attempted rape, coercive control, and assault against Greenwood were dropped by Crown Prosecution Services following the withdrawal of key witnesses, 18 months after the player was arrested in January 2022.
Greenwood has denied the allegations, and has been well-supported by his loan club and its fans over the course of the season.
Mason Greenwood was the target of insulting chants by Alaves fans during Getafe’s match
The player featured for the full 90 minutes in possibly his penultimate match in LaLiga
The 22-year-old played all 90 minutes in the penultimate match of the season, but amid a turbulent atmosphere, play was called to a halt 18 minutes from time.
Sections of Alaves supporters chanting ‘Greenwood, die’ were told to stop singing with a message over the tannoy after referee Jorge Figueroa Vazquez made the decision to suspend the tie.
After the message was broadcast, the chants are reported to have reduced, with Vazquez whistling play on minutes later and resuming the match.
Getafe went on to lose the game 1-0, and sit in 11th place in the Spanish top flight.
As per the Sun, members of staff at the club are believed to have continued to take issue with songs being sung on the terraces after play resumed, although it is not yet confirmed whether the club will make a formal complaint to the league.
Chants calling for Greenwood to ‘die’ were also sung by fans of Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao in September, prompting his club to issue a statement expressing ‘total disapproval’ at the ‘derogatory and insulting’ songs.
‘Insulting chants, out of any civic context, aggravated with criticism that we respect as freedom of expression from a sporting point of view, but that we do not share when that critical current is attributed with derogatory epithets, insults and disrespect to the members of the staff and coaching staff of Getafe CF,’ the statement read.
‘Likewise, we ask for support, with their statements, among the participants that make up the passionate football world.’
Referee Jorge Figueroa Vazquez halted play while the club made an announcement (pictured on May 12)
Getafe manager Jose Bordalas has previously strenuously defender the Man United loanee
Getafe manager Jose Bordalas has previously defended his player, but stressed that he remains an ‘exemplary’ player.
‘He is calm, he is happy, he is treated very well. The boy has had exemplary behaviour to this day and his team-mates help him,’ Bordalas said in April.
‘I’m sure the chants affect him. You know my opinion, I’m against any insult, no matter who the player is. I cannot say anything more.’
Greenwood could well play his last match in Getafe’s colours next Saturday on the final day of the season, despite the club’s desire to keep hold of the forward.
The player has scored 10 times in 34 outings for Getafe, but the LaLiga side may only be able to afford an additional loan offer to secure him, while Man United are believed to be pushing for a sale.
Greenwood is believed to have received interest from a number of European and Premier League sides, with Napoli thought to have made contact with United over a potential move.
It is widely anticipated that Greenwood will never play for United again, but new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently hinted that the door was not completely closed.
Greenwood is widely assumed to be up for sale this summer as United prepares for a clear-out
But Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) did not 100 per cent rule out the possibility of an Old Trafford return
Speaking in February at what was his first public appearance since the purchase of his minority stake in the club was confirmed, the British billionaire said: ‘He’s a Manchester United footballer so we are in charge of football.
‘So the answer is yes, we have to make decisions. It’s quite clear we have to make a decision. There is no decision that’s been made.
‘He’s on loan obviously but he’s not the only one. We’ve got one or two footballers that we have to deal with and we have to make a decision on so we will do that.
‘The process will be: understand the facts, not the hype and then try and come to a fair decision on the basis of values which is basically is he a good guy or not, and answer could he play sincerely for Manchester United well and would we be comfortable with it and would the fans be comfortable with it.’