Barcelona and Spain defender Mapi León has firmly denied allegations from Espanyol that she “violated the privacy” of their player, Daniela Caracas, during Sunday’s Catalan derby. The controversy stems from a 15th-minute incident where León made contact with Caracas during a set piece.
Footage from the match appears to show León’s hand making contact with Caracas’ groin area, prompting outrage from Espanyol. The club swiftly released a statement condemning the act, expressing their “total discontent” and emphasizing that Caracas was initially too stunned to react.
According to Espanyol, Caracas only fully processed the incident later but refrained from retaliation to avoid disciplinary action.
Adding to the controversy, Caracas has since faced online abuse, with Espanyol offering legal support should she decide to take action against León.
León, however, has categorically denied the accusations, issuing a statement through Barcelona in which she insisted her contact was purely incidental. She clarified that Caracas had intentionally bumped into her, and in response, she merely touched her leg while questioning the collision.
“In the images, you can see that it was a normal game situation where she ran into me, and I touched her leg while saying, ‘What is wrong with you?’” León stated. “There was no touching of an intimate area, nor would it ever occur to me to do such a thing. It goes against my principles.”
She also condemned the social media harassment directed at Caracas, distancing herself from the online backlash and offering her support.
León, 29, remains a crucial player for Barcelona, boasting an impressive resume with five league titles and three Champions League triumphs.