Head coach of Chelsea, Liam Rosenior, has called for zero tolerance for racism in football, insisting that anyone found guilty of racist behaviour should be permanently excluded from the game.
Rosenior’s comments come amid allegations of racial abuse involving Vinícius Júnior during UEFA Champions League action earlier this week. Play was halted for about 10 minutes during Real Madrid’s away clash against Benfica after Vinícius reported that Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni directed a racial slur at him.
Prestianni has denied the accusation, while UEFA confirmed on Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into “allegations of discriminatory behaviour.” Vinícius, who joined Real Madrid in 2018, has been repeatedly subjected to racist abuse in Spain and across Europe.
Although Rosenior declined to comment directly on the ongoing investigation, he stressed that racism in any form is unacceptable.
“It’s upsetting,” he said. “When you see a player as distressed as Vinícius was, there is usually a reason. Any form of racism in society is unacceptable. I’ve been racially abused myself.”
The Chelsea boss, who is of mixed heritage, was emphatic about accountability in the sport.
“If any coach, player or manager is ever found guilty of racism, they shouldn’t be in the game. It’s as simple as that for me,” he added.
Rosenior also reflected on broader societal issues, recalling an open letter he wrote to former US President Donald Trump in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd, an event that sparked the global Black Lives Matter movement.
His remarks followed another controversy last week, when homophobic chants were reportedly directed at Chelsea supporters during an FA Cup match away to Hull. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League fixture against Burnley, Rosenior said football reflects wider social divisions.
“There’s too much prejudice — based on sexuality, race, religion or nationality,” he said. “It sickens me. This is bigger than football. People need to be held far more accountable, whether on social media or in the press, if we are serious about stamping this out.”
