Zozulya leaves Rayo after fans call him Nazi

Real Betis striker Roman Zozulya has returned to his parent club just hours into a loan spell with Rayo Vallecano after their fans accused him of being a neo-Nazi.

The 27-year-old Ukraine striker had denied any links to the far-right in an open letter to fans published on Rayo’s Twitter page. 

But supporters of the second-tier club protested his arrival at the club’s training ground.

“We received the news that is having problems with a radical group and the first thing we did was talk to Rayo and have agreed to protect the person and our player,” said Betis sporting director Miguel Torrecilla, confirming Zozulya’s return to the club on their official website.

Zozulya’s letter had accused a Spanish journalist of misinterpreting an item of clothing he was wearing upon his arrival in Spain.

“I arrived at Seville airport wearing a shirt with the badge of Ukraine,” it read.

“This journalist reported that I was wearing a shirt from a paramilitary group, whose badge is distinguished from the badge of my country.

“Betis asked for the article to be removed, which it was immediately after [the newspaper] recognised their error and apologised.

“As I stated at my presentation with Real Betis, I’m not linked to any paramilitary or neo-Nazi group.”