Leeds and Arsenal unite after social media vitriol aimed at Alioski following dismissal
LEEDS UNITED and Arsenal have promised to work with the police to root out those who subjected Ezgjan Alioski and Nicolas Pepe to vile social media abuse after Sunday’s 0- 0 draw.
Pepe was sent off for headbutting Whites left- back Alioksi after 52 minutes.
Television cameras later highlighted the £ 72m winger had been on the end of a considerable amount of pushing and shoving from Alioski, but nothing to justify the reaction of either Pepe or those on social media.
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney had to be held back at full- time as he tried to confront Alioski.
“The vile abuse directed at Ezgjan Alioski and Nicolas Pepe on social media after yesterday’s Premier League game with Arsenal will not be tolerated by Leeds United,” read a statement by the Elland Road club.
“We will work closely with the police and the footballing authorities to ensure those responsible are identified and punished.”
Arsenal condemned the “completely unacceptable” abuse and added they too would be “working with the police and authorities to do everything we can to trace and prosecute the culprits”.
After the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called Pepe’s actions “unacceptable” but did not complain about Alioksi’s. Asked about possible provocation, he simply said: “I don’t know ( what, if anything, there was) but we knew the level of intensity, aggression and how alive they are in every action. We have to be able to deal with that.”
Asked about Alioksi’s ability to get under the skin of opponents, Leeds coach Marcelo Bielsa said: “I don’t think this is something distinct in Gjanni, it’s the first time I’ve heard it. That’s not to say that you’re not right.
“He perhaps uses these resources and I haven’t noticed.
“What I do notice is he’s a player with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of passion for every moment in the game.”
North Macedonian Alioski was subjected to racial abuse and threats to his family.
The issue of social media abuse has become an important one for society as a whole, and sport is certainly not immune.
After years of footballers becoming increasingly isolated from fans – even more so with the country in lockdown – social media has given the public a platform to address players directly without needing the courage to speak to their faces or even reveal their identity.
This is not the first time clubs have asked the police to step in over social media abuse.
Last season Twitter was forced to apologise and “take action” after more than 700 examples of what it called “hateful conduct” directed at footballers, including black players Paul Pogba, Tammy Abrahams, Yakou Meite and Marcus Rashford when they failed to convert penalties.
Twitter met the clubs concerned, players union the Professional Footballers’ Association and antidiscrimination body Kick It Out, and there were calls from some within the game to boycott it, but many players enjoy the chance to interact with supporters.
Alioski is the most gregarious member of Leeds’ squad but the actions of a few halfwits threatens one of the few remaining bonds between footballers and the public.