Sarri condemns ‘disgusting’ behaviour of fans toward

Maurizio Sarri last night condemned the “disgusting” behaviour of the Chelsea fans accused of racially abusing Raheem Sterling.

One supporter was alleged to have called Sterling a “f------ black c---” – the man claims he instead called Sterling “Manc” – during Saturday’s 2-0 Stamford Bridge win over Manchester City, and Sarri stressed that he and the club condemn discriminatory behaviour of any kind. Sarri, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s final Europa League group match tonight against Hungarian side MOL Vidi, said: “It was disgusting, you know very well my opinion and the opinion of the club.

“I want to say that I condemn any form of discrimination, of course. I think that the club had banned four persons. So the opinion of the club and my opinion is the same.”

Sarri also acknowledged and agreed with Eden Hazard, who condemned the behaviour in similar absolute terms on Tuesday.

The debate around racism in

football dominated the pre-match build up yesterday to what is for Chelsea a dead rubber. They have already topped Group L, and so the match is about giving chances to fringe players and youngsters such as Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-odoi.

One fringe player hoping to stake his claim for more regular game time is the improving Ruben Loftus-cheek, who was asked to discuss the treatment of Sterling, and whether he himself had been the victim of racist abuse.

Loftus-cheek said: “I haven’t spoken to Raheem about it. I tried to leave him to deal with it mentally himself. He is a strong-minded person, I am sure he will be all right. I think he was right what he said. It shouldn’t be in the game or anywhere, so I think it was the right thing for him to do to speak out. I think if it happened to me then I would do the same thing.”

Loftus-cheek said that he himself had only experienced racism off the pitch. “Off the football pitch I have, years ago. Never on the pitch. It does not happen a lot in England, but it obviously does still happen.

‘‘I am sure most people don’t like this and it needs to be out the game as quick as possible. When incidents do come we have to take a