Senegal international Nicolas Jackson has sparked widespread controversy after posting a provocative message on social media in response to the alleged racial abuse directed at Brazilian-Cameroonian star Vinicius Jnr during the Champions League playoff clash between Benfica and Real Madrid.
Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni is reported to have racially abused Vinicius Jnr in the high-stake champions clash, held at the Estadio Daluz on Tuesday night. As a result, the match was halted for close to ten minute before resumption.
The incident involving Vinicius Jnr and Prestianni has divided opinion across the football world, with many rallying behind the Brazilian attacker, while others have called for a clear evidence before conclusions are drawn.
Amid the heated debate, Jackson, on loan at Bayern Munich from Chelsea has expressed support for pacey Brazilian winger, suggesting Vinicius Jnr respond to the alleged racist remarks with insult.
“Don’t do that, brother. If they called you a monkey because you’re black, answer them the same way. Call them ‘white pigs.’ The problem will solve itself,” Jackson wrote, accompanying his caption with monkey and pig emojis.
Critics of Jackson’s message have described it as an example of reverse racism and noted that it sits uneasily amid broader efforts to combat racial discrimination in football and society at large.
As of now, neither Chelsea nor Bayern have issued official statements addressing Jackson’s comments, leaving many fans and pundits awaiting an institutional response.
