Valencia were told by organisers to resume playing Sunday’s La Liga match at Cadiz or they would have to forfeit the points after they had left the pitch when Mouctar Diakhaby complained he had been racially abused, fellow defender Jose Gaya said.

Valencia’s players walked off the field in the 29th minute after Frenchman Diakhaby reacted furiously following an altercation with Cadiz’s Spanish centre back Juan Cala.

Referee David Medie Jimenez said in his report that Diakhaby had told him Cala had used a racial slur against him.

The players eventually returned to the pitch but did so without Diakhaby, who said he was not in the right state of mind to continue playing and was substituted.

The score was 1-1 when the visitors walked off and Cadiz went on to win the game 2-1 after an 88th minute strike from Marcos Mauro, who came off the bench to replace Cala.

Sevilla’s favour

Sevilla recovered from missing an early penalty to beat La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid 1-0 at home on Sunday and hand a lifeline to title challengers Barcelona and Real Madrid.