Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o threatened to quit his side’s Spanish league match against Real Zaragoza after the latter club’s fans chanted racist remarks against him.

"It was a shame - Samuel is a human being and he felt bad on the pitch," Barcelona Frank Rijkaard was quoted as saying by BBC on Sunday.

Rijkaard expressed his anger at the Zaragoza fans’ chants but insisted that Eto’o’s reaction to the racist chants only proved that he was a top-notch football player and also praised the players who supported him on the pitch.

"I was pleased with the attitude of his team-mates who told him to continue. He proved he was able to overcome the circumstances and he made a valuable contribution to our victory.

"It's a real shame that things like this happen as it is thanks to players like Samuel that the fans come to the stadium to be entertained. I would also like to say that the referee acted very well," Rijkaard said.

Spanish referee Victor Esquinas Torres halted the match, in which Barcelona won 2-0, for an announcement to be broadcasted calling the crown to end the abuse.

On the other hand, Zaragoza striker Ewerthon insisted that he was ashamed of the club fans’ actions and said that black players in Spain should study making a serious move to stand up to all the racial abuse they suffer.

"I'm black too. I'm a Zaragoza player and totally opposed to the fans who did this. I've been abused too at other grounds in Spain but we need to rise above this.

The Spanish Federation have to start taking proper measures and we as black players also have to act. We are here to work and if things carry on like this it will be impossible," Ewerthon said.

Zaragoza were also handed a 600-euro (£400) fine earlier this month after club fans chanted racial insults at Real Betis' forward Robert.