* ‘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. Continue reading...

People who have worked with the midfielder at his six clubs reflect on his career as he prepares to make a 654th top-flight appearance

YouTube video by AFTV

* Brazilian accuses referee of ‘poorly executed protocol’ * Real Madrid eventually play on after 10-minute delay Vinícius Júnior declared that “racists are above all cowards [who] need to put their shirts in their mouth to demonstrate how weak they are” and attacked the failure of the referee to act after he was allegedly abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during Real Madrid’s 1-0 win in Lisbon. The Brazilian was seemingly minded to walk off and the Madrid coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, said that they would have joined him, although they did eventually play on after a 10-minute delay. Kylian Mbappé said afterwards that Prestianni should not be allowed to play in the Champions league again. Vinícius had run to the referee, François Letexier, when Prestianni said something to him after celebrating the only goal of the night on 50 minutes. Prestianni covered his mouth as he spoke but Mbappé later backed the Brazilian’s accusation that the word used had been “mono” or monkey. The referee performed the gesture that confirmed that he was activating the anti-racism protocol and the game but following conversations between players, managers and officials the two teams did eventually play on. Continue reading...

Vinícius Júnior and his teammates appeared ready to walk off and the game was put on hold for 10 minutes after the Brazilian told the referee that he had been subject to racist abuse after scoring the goal that gives Real Madrid a 1-0 first-leg lead in their Champions League playoff against Benfica. Vinícius had celebrated the strike dancing in the corner of the Estádio da Luz and in the confrontations that followed, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni said something to him while covering his mouth. Vinícius immediately ran to the referee, François Letexier, who stopped the match and crossed his arms to signal that he was doing so because of an accusation of racist abuse. Both managers came on to the pitch and Vinícius spoke to José Mourinho to explain what had happened. Conversations and confrontations continued as Vinícius sat alone on the bench, but eventually they restarted with the Brazilian on the pitch. The noise that accompanied Benfica’s attempts to get back into it, a red card for Mourinho as he protested a late foul on the edge of the Madrid area, unable to eclipse the feeling that there was something empty, something sadder, about the occasion now, like this match no longer mattered. Its lasting legacy will not be about the football. Continue reading...

YouTube video by HARRY HILL

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of Vítor Pereira as their fourth head coach of the season

The Croat never stays long but is an expert at doing what is necessary and also comes with a reputation as a taskmaster

When Mohamed Salah last faced Brighton at Anfield in December, there was uncertainty over whether he would be seen in a Liverpool shirt again. Two months on and with the Egyptian a starter once more, Salah and Arne Slot reaped the rewards of their appeasement as Liverpool eased into the fifth round with a comfortable victory over Brighton. Salah produced a sublime assist, his fourth since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, and scored from the penalty spot as Liverpool condemned Brighton to a fourth defeat in five games. There was no evidence of Brighton not performing for the under-pressure Fabian Hürzeler but after a promising start the visitors faded rapidly. Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, with a superb goal, and Salah capitalised in a commanding victory. Continue reading...

* ‘Society is better when we embrace other cultures’ * Haaland doubt for FA Cup tie, Rodri charged by FA Pep Guardiola has said that blaming people from overseas for a country’s problems is wrong, the Manchester City manager’s comments coming amid the fallout of Sir Jim Ratcliffe claiming the United Kingdom is being “colonised by immigrants”. Ratcliffe’s comment, made in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, has led to widespread condemnation, including from within football, leading to Manchester United’s single largest minority owner saying he was sorry that his “choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe”. Continue reading...

Free condoms for competitors at the Winter Olympics have run out within a record-breaking three days

As athletes we try to focus on our event and the task at hand, but our lives do not take place in a vacuum I’m deeply saddened by the IOC banning skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Winter Olympics. His helmet depicting images of athletes and children who died in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some who he knew personally, was a human display of remembrance. The IOC’s response was not an appropriate one. One only needed to look at the image of Heraskevych’s father when he was told the news of his son’s disqualification – doubled over with his head in his hands – to know the emotional toll. I cannot imagine what they are experiencing but, as both a former athlete and a just a fan watching on, I also feel emotional about it and cried when both Vlad and his dad messaged me on social media to say thank you for my messages of support. Continue reading...