Spanish third-tier club reverses decision to sign player after his comments anger Catalans

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This article was published 13/08/2025 (418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MADRID (AP) — Spanish third-tier club Nastic has quickly reversed its decision to sign a player after fans complained about his derogatory comments about Catalans on Instagram Live last year.

Nastic, which is based in the Catalan city of Tarragona, on Tuesday announced it was signing left back José Manuel Calderón on a one-year contract with an option for another year. But a few hours later, “after further evaluation,” the club said it would not formalize the signing.

“The club, which represents a city and a fan base proud of its history, identity and values, believes that any new signing must be aligned with the respect, unity, and social responsibility that characterize us,” Nastic said in a statement.

“We regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused to our members, shareholders and fans, and we reaffirm our commitment to continue working to build the best possible squad to successfully face the 2025-26 season,” the club said.

The 25-year-old Calderón used an expression with derogatory words against Catalans. He apologized at the time, and again late Tuesday after his deal with Nastic fell through.

“I’m a little upset, in shock, but I accept the consequences,” he told local sports show El Chiringuito. “First of all, I want to apologize to all the people who were offended. I have Catalan family, Catalan friends, and they didn’t take it the same way. Here in Andalusia, for me, it’s a normal expression, one we don’t take with such repercussions, but it struck a chord with people, and I wanted to apologize publicly.”

At the time of his comments on Instagram, Calderón was playing with Cordoba, which had just been promoted to the second division following the 2023-24 season.

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