Espanyol has called for action to be taken against Barcelona’s Mapi León after she was accused of inappropriately touching opponent Daniela Caracas during a match.

The club described the incident as a "violation of Caracas’s privacy."

León has since issued a statement denying any wrongdoing.

Spanish club Espanyol has expressed strong disapproval of Barcelona’s Mapi León following allegations that she inappropriately touched Espanyol defender Daniela Caracas during a Liga F match.

The incident occurred 15 minutes into Sunday’s Catalan derby.

Broadcast footage appears to show Spanish international León briefly making contact with Caracas’s crotch area while speaking to her as they positioned themselves inside the penalty area for a set-piece.

Espanyol released a statement expressing its "total discontent and condemnation" of León’s actions, describing the incident as a "violation of Caracas’s privacy."

The club also stated that it would support Colombian international Caracas should she choose to pursue legal action.

In response, León firmly denied any wrongdoing, stating: "Under no circumstances would I ever think of touching the private parts of any of my fellow professionals."

She dismissed the claims, calling the incident "a simple footballing action that does not deserve the level of attention or importance it is receiving."

Espanyol, however, insisted the matter should not be ignored.

"This is an action that we consider unacceptable and should not go unnoticed," the club stated.

"During the match, FC Barcelona player Maria Pilar León, in the midst of a clash with our player Daniela Caracas, made a gesture that violated our player’s privacy.

"At that moment, Caracas was unable to react due to the shock of the situation.

"Upon later reflection, she recognised the seriousness of the gesture but chose not to react in anger to avoid receiving a disciplinary sanction that could have negatively impacted the team."

Espanyol reiterated its commitment to player welfare and denounced any actions that compromise their integrity on the pitch.

"We strongly uphold respect and sportsmanship as fundamental values in football, and we hope this type of situation will be treated with the seriousness it deserves," the statement continued.

"Furthermore, we have made the club’s legal services available to our player should she wish to take legal action."

The match was goalless at the time of the incident, but Barcelona went on to secure a 2-0 victory.