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By Goli Innocent
Chelsea F.C. head coach Liam Rosenior has called for a lifetime ban for any player, coach or manager found guilty of racism, declaring that such individuals “shouldn’t be in the game.”
His comments follow allegations that Vinícius Júnior was racially abused by Gianluca Prestianni during Real Madrid CF’s 1-0 win over S.L. Benfica in Lisbon in a Champions League clash. UEFA has since opened an investigation into the incident.
Speaking on Thursday, Rosenior said he would not comment directly on the case while investigations are ongoing but made his position unmistakably clear. “If any player, any coach, or any manager is found guilty of racism, they shouldn’t be in the game. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “It’s upsetting. Any form of racism in society, not just football, is unacceptable. When you see a player as upset as Vinícius was, normally they’re upset for a reason.”
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José Mourinho, Benfica’s manager, accused Vinícius of inciting the crowd with his goal celebration, but Rosenior defended the Brazilian winger and referenced his own painful experience. “I have been racially abused myself,” he said. “When you are judged for something you should be proud of, it is the worst feeling you can ever imagine.”
Benfica have defended Prestianni, describing the controversy as a “defamation campaign” and releasing footage they say shows the distance between players made it impossible for alleged remarks to have been heard.
Rosenior insisted that racism in football mirrors deeper societal divisions and called for stronger consequences. “There needs to be more accountability. There’s a lot of division, and people are prejudged based on their background, religion, nationality, or the colour of their skin. Everybody should be judged equally based on the content of their character.”
