Arne Slot made his feelings clear after Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Bournemouth, insisting that racist abuse aimed at Antoine Semenyo should never happen in football and certainly not at Anfield.
The match was paused in the first half when the Bournemouth midfielder was subjected to discriminatory insults from sections of the crowd. It was a dark moment on an afternoon that was supposed to be remembered for goals, passion, and a moving tribute.
“The club has made a clear statement. We don’t want this in football, we don’t want this to happen in stadiums, especially not at Anfield. We must keep talking about this because this has no place here,” Slot said, addressing the incident directly.
Liverpool supporters had turned out in full voice to back their team, and their tribute to Diogo Jota struck a special chord. Slot was quick to recognize that moment, though he admitted the abuse cast a shadow over the occasion.
“It slightly overshadows things because our fans were amazing today, especially during the tribute to Jota,” he added.