FIFA TOLD TO BE FAR TOUGHER ON RACISM
INJURIES ON RISE IN PREMIER LEAGUE
FIFA strongly rejects any form of racism and violence and has a very clear zero tolerance stance against such behaviour in football.
“FIFA will investigate the incident…”
Anger remains that black footballers across the globe continue to be abused while European and world football’s leaders shy away from points deductions and throwing clubs and countries out of competitions.
Footage of this week’s disgusting incident in Paris showed Richarlison’s Brazil teammate Fred kicking the banana away.
Before the match, the Brazil team had posed for photographs with an anti-racism banner reading: ‘Without our black players, we wouldn’t have stars on our shirts,’ in reference to the nation’s five
World Cup wins.
Break
That had come after Richarlison’s Brazil teammate, Real Madrid superstar Vinicius jnr, had been described as a “monkey” on Spanish TV and racially abused by Atletico Madrid fans before the International break.
Richarlison is now set to receive a show of support from his Brazil compatriots across Europe this weekend.
Meanwhile, Richarlison is confident ‘Professor’ Antonio Conte will turn him into an even better player.
Last season he netted 11 times in total for Everton to earn a €56m summer move to Tottenham.
Now he reckons manager Conte will help him to shatter that tally and see off Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus on the international stage.
The 25-year-old said: “I’m on the right track. Of course I still need to improve and I’m sure Professor Conte will fix my mistakes.”
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs were rocked by a startling 30 per cent rise in injuries last season as new research claims too many matches are being played.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (right) and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola have been among the leading advocates voicing concerns about the amount of fixtures.
The figures — which show the total number of injuries in the Premier League have doubled over the past few campaigns with 1,231 last season — comes at a time when even more matches are set with the new-look Champions League starting in less than two years.
This weekend, the seven English teams in Europe, which includes Liverpool and City, are starting a run of 13 games in 42 days.
Worrying
And that will mean a really worrying time for England manager Gareth Southgate with the World Cup so close.
The report has been produced by international insurance brokers Howden.
Liverpool played 63 games last season by reaching both domestic cup finals and the Champions League final and had 80 injuries.
The report says it “must surely have taken its toll” as Liverpool lost the title by a point and were beaten in the Champions League final.