Liverpool manager Arne Slot has strongly condemned the racial abuse suffered by Ghanaian striker Antoine Semenyo during the Reds’ 2025/26 Premier League opener at Anfield on Friday night.
The incident occurred in the first half when Semenyo reported the abuse to the referee, prompting a brief stoppage and the involvement of both technical benches. Play resumed shortly after, with Liverpool eventually securing a 4-2 victory.
Speaking after the match, Slot expressed his dismay, calling the incident unacceptable and praising Semenyo’s resilience in responding with a superb performance.
“It’s unacceptable in every football stadium, let alone at Anfield. Big credit to him—if something like this happens and you can perform so well in the second half,” Slot said.
Semenyo, 24, responded in the best way possible, scoring twice after the incident to mark a memorable start to the season. His form will also be a major boost for Ghana’s Black Stars, who are set to regroup in September for the next round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
