Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has stated that anyone found guilty of racism in football “should not be in the game”, following allegations of racial abuse against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match

Rosenior’s comments come after Vinicius accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a “monkey” during a confrontation in Tuesday’s match. Prestianni denies the allegation, and UEFA has launched an investigation into the incident.

Rosenior, who is of mixed heritage, drew on his personal experience of racial abuse, saying, “when you see a player upset how Vinicius Junior was upset, normally they’re upset for a reason”. He emphasized that racism has no place in society or football.

🚨 Liam Rosenior hits back at Jose Mourinho: “When you see a player upset how Vinicius Junior was upset, normally they’re upset for a reason. I’ve been racially abused myself.

“What people have to understand is when you are judged for something you should be proud of, it is the… pic.twitter.com/j6ng4hXThg

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) February 19, 2026

The Chelsea coach also highlighted the broader issue of division and prejudice in society, citing examples of people being judged on their sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or skin color. “It sickens me, to be honest,” he said.

Rosenior’s stance on racism is not new; he wrote an open letter to former US President Donald Trump in 2020, condemning systemic racism in America.

UEFA’s investigation into the incident is ongoing, and Rosenior urged football authorities to take stronger action against racism.

The incident has sparked a wider debate about racism in football, with calls for greater accountability and zero-tolerance policies.