Chelsea Condemn ‘racist Abuse’ Of U19s In Uefa Youth League Game In Baku

Chelsea person condemned racist maltreatment aimed astatine their young players aft their under-19 Uefa Youth League fixture against Qarabag successful Baku had to beryllium stopped because of an incident allegedly involving 1 location protagonist connected Wednesday.

The lucifer was halted temporarily aft an opening Chelsea extremity from Sol Gordon successful nan 58th infinitesimal was followed by a location instrumentality appearing to make racist gestures towards nan Premier League club’s players. Eyewitnesses suggested monkey gestures and noises were made. After nan lucifer resumed astatine nan Azersun Arena Chelsea went connected to triumph 5-0.

A Chelsea spokesperson said: “We are alert of an incident during today’s Uefa Youth League lucifer successful Azerbaijan successful which, aft scoring, a number of our players were subjected to racist maltreatment from an individual successful nan crowd.

“Racism and each forms of discriminatory behaviour are wholly unacceptable and person nary spot successful shot aliases so successful society. We powerfully condemn nan actions of nan individual responsible.

“Our players person nan afloat support of everyone astatine nan club, and we person raised nan incident instantly pinch nan Uefa lucifer delegate and location club. We expect this matter to beryllium investigated afloat nether Uefa’s disciplinary procedures.

“We are proud of nan measurement our players and unit responded to nan incident connected nan pitch, swiftly reporting it to nan referee, and commend those for dealing pinch nan matter professionally and appropriately successful statement pinch Uefa protocols.

“Chelsea Football Club is immensely proud of nan diverseness wrong our squad and crossed our full nine and will proceed to activity pinch Uefa to guarantee that those responsible for discriminatory behaviour successful shot are held accountable.”

A Qarabag spokesperson said: “We are sorry astir this incident. It does not bespeak nan values of our club. We will analyse it thoroughly.”

Chelsea’s players complained to nan Ukrainian referee, Dmytro Kubriak, who stopped nan lucifer and consulted nan coaching unit of some teams successful nan method area. There were astir 100 spectators successful attendance. Uefa will hold for nan referee’s study earlier taking immoderate action.

Chelsea maintained their cleanable commencement to nan title acknowledgment to further goals from Shim Mheuka, Frankie Dunham and a brace from Jesse Derry and are apical of nan Youth League array aft 4 games. The club’s elder men’s broadside were owed to look Qarabag successful nan Champions League connected Wednesday.