Spain’s football league has denounced Espanyol after their fans directed monkey chants at the Brazil pair Neymar and Dani Alves and insulted the Spain defender Gerard Piqué during Saturday’s La Liga derby at home to Barcelona.

Lionel Messi was also verbally abused and Espanyol will be reported to a Spanish government commission that seeks to combat violence, racism and xenophobia in sport, the Liga de Fútbol Profesional said on Tuesday.

A section of supporters at Espanyol’s stadium insulted Piqué, his pop star partner Shakira and their young son as part of sustained abuse of Barça, who won 2-0 despite having Jordi Alba sent off shortly after half-time. Alba was also verbally abused as he left the pitch, the LFP said.

Espanyol are likely to be hit with a hefty fine over the incidents.

Racism and abuse has long been a problem at stadiums in Spain but the LFP is seeking to crack down following the death of a Deportivo La Coruña fan in fighting before their match at Atlético Madrid at the end of November.

Alves has been targeted by racists before and hit the headlines in April last year when he picked up a banana thrown from the crowd at Villarreal, peeled it and took a bite before flinging it away.