Liverpool spend big to hold off Arsenal, City in Premier League title fight
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Arab News
6 hours ago
- Arab News
Semenyo says alleged racist abuse at Liverpool ‘will stay with me forever'
LIVERPOOL: Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo said on Saturday the racist abuse he alleges was directed at him by a Liverpool fan at Anfield 'will stay with me forever.' For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport But the Ghanian international added that the incident during the Premier League season opener on Friday had also shown football's 'best side when it mattered most.' Police have launched an investigation after Semenyo was abused by someone in the crowd during the first half of Liverpool's 4-2 win. Play was halted and a 47-year-old man was later ejected from the stadium. Semenyo, 25, went on to score twice as Bournemouth came back from 2-0 down but Liverpool scored two late goals to seal the win. 'Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever — not because of one person's words, but because of how the entire football family stood together,' Semenyo said on social media. 'To my Bournemouth team-mates who supported me in that moment, to the Liverpool players and fans who showed their true character, to the Premier League officials who handled it professionally — thank you. Football showed its best side when it mattered most. 'Scoring those two goals felt like speaking the only language that truly matters on the pitch. This is why I play — for moments like these, for my team-mates, for everyone who believes in what this beautiful game can be. 'The overwhelming messages of support from across the football world remind me why I love this sport. We keep moving forward, together,' he added. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk described the incident as a 'disgrace' and said it showed how much work needed to be done to educate people about racism. 'What else can we do? Because this is the very odd one (case) that has managed to say something that is obviously a disgrace,' the Dutchman said. 'The only thing we can do is deal with it by dealing with him personally and try to educate the next generation. That is the only way to try and kick it out, in my opinion. 'I can't believe it. These things shouldn't happen but unfortunately it does and it is an absolute disgrace in my eyes. 'These things should never happen in the world, not only (never in) football.' Van Dijk also said he was 'here for Antoine, whenever he needs it and we are here as a club to deal with it in the best way possible because it shouldn't happen.'
Al Arabiya
9 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Police launch hate crime probe in Liverpool after fan's alleged racial abuse of Semenyo
Police launched a hate crime investigation after ejecting a 47-year-old fan from Liverpool's stadium for his alleged racial abuse of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the opening match of the Premier League season. The incident occurred Friday night at Anfield when Semenyo, who is Black, reported the abuse to referee Anthony Taylor in the first half with the score at 0-0. Play was briefly stopped while Taylor spoke to both coaches and team captains. 'Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form,' said Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander. The fan's identity was confirmed and he was removed from the stadium, police added. 'We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible,' Chatterton said. Semenyo, who scored both of Bournemouth's goals in the 4-2 loss , later posted further racial abuse that he received online. 'When will it stop,' the 25-year-old Ghana international wrote on his Instagram account. Bournemouth players had consoled Semenyo and an anti-discrimination message was read out to the crowd inside Anfield after the halftime whistle. The Premier League also said it will investigate the incident and 'offer our full support to the player and both clubs.' In a statement, Liverpool said it was aware of the allegation and that it condemns 'racism and discrimination in all forms.' 'The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully,' it added late Friday.
Asharq Al-Awsat
11 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Liverpool Match Halted after Bournemouth's Semenyo Reports Racist Abuse from Crowd
Liverpool's Premier League season-opening match against Bournemouth was briefly halted on Friday after visiting forward Antoine Semenyo reported getting racist abuse from the crowd. Referee Anthony Taylor stopped play at a Liverpool corner in the 29th minute to address the incident, summoning both managers to the touchline for a briefing. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Bournemouth counterpart Adam Smith were then called over to the benches for further instructions before play resumed four minutes later, Reuters reported. Following halftime, an anti-discrimination message was read out to the crowd at Anfield. Ghana international Semenyo, 25, went on to score twice after play resumed, helping his side to briefly level the score before reigning Premier League champions Liverpool secured a 4-2 victory with a late surge. "We're very concerned about the allegation of discrimination from an area of the crowd," England's Football Association said in a statement. "Incidents of this nature have no place in our game, and we will work closely with the match officials, the clubs, and the relevant authorities to establish the facts and ensure that the appropriate action is taken." Merseyside Police said a 47-year-old man had been ejected from Anfield after reports of the racist abuse, adding that an investigation was under way. Liverpool said they would fully support the police investigation. "Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form," Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the game, said in a statement. "We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible. "There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening." Liverpool coach Arne Slot was upset about the incident. "It is clear that we do not want this in football," the Dutchman said. "We definitely don't want this at Anfield ... This should never happen in football, let alone at Anfield." Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said: "Straight away, Antoine and the referee told us. The person has been identified. "It's a big shame that these things keep happening. It's the first game of the season, a lovely game of football, and I have to speak about these things happening." The incident at Anfield follows reports of Tottenham Hotspur's French forward Mathys Tel being subjected to racist abuse on social media after missing a penalty in his side's UEFA Super Cup defeat by Paris St Germain on Wednesday.
