Madrid (AFP) – The Spanish football league on Thursday said they were pursuing legal action against 10 fans of Rayo Vallecano who accused Ukrainian international Roman Zozulia of having “neo-Nazi” sympathies.

Zozulia, 27, spent just 24 hours on loan at the club from Spanish rivals Real Betis before being recalled following Vallecano fans greeting his arrival with banners reading: “Vallekas is not the place for Nazis.”

But La Liga on Thursday said they were bringing a criminal case against 10 fans “on charges of coercion”.

Zozulia insisted he was “not linked to or a supporter of any paramilitary or neo-Nazi group.”

However, he did admit to “collaborating with the Ukranian army to help protect his country.”

Zozulia has only made six appearances for Betis since joining on a free transfer from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at the start of the season.