Rosenior: Racists 'shouldn't be in the game' after Vinicius Jr abuse

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has publicly backed Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr after the alleged racial abuse he suffered in the Champions League play-off tie with Benfica. Rosenior, drawing on his own experiences of abuse in the game, said anyone found guilty of racism "shouldn't be in the game".

Speaking in his press conference, Rosenior described the situation as upsetting and declined to comment on the specifics while an investigation is ongoing. He added that when a player is visibly upset, "normally they're upset for a reason," and stressed that race should never be a factor "regardless of how a player celebrates." The incident has generated wider controversy, with Jose Mourinho and Mark Clattenburg criticised for their responses and Benfica issuing social media posts defending their player.

Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has denied the allegations, and an investigation could lead to a minimum 10-game ban if he is found guilty.

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