‘When you see a player upset, normally it’s for a reason’
Head coach reacts to Vinícius Júnior’s racism claims
Liam Rosenior has called for players and coaches found guilty of racism to be banned from football for life and said experiencing abuse on a football pitch “is the worst feeling you can ever possibly imagine”.
The Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior left the pitch after alleging that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni racially abused him during their Champions League match on Tuesday. Prestianni has denied racist abuse and Benfica have said he was a “victim” of a “smear campaign”. The Argentinian faces a 10-game ban if found guilty by Uefa.
Benfica’s manager, José Mourinho, appeared to suggest Vinícius had been provocative with his “stupid” goal celebration. Rosenior refused to comment on Mourinho’s views, citing an ongoing investigation, but believes the Brazil forward “was upset for a reason”.
