Racism Marred Manchester City U21 Friendly as Seko Fofana Targeted
Racism continues to cast a shadow over football, as demonstrated during a recent friendly match between Manchester City’s Under-21 team and Croatian side HNK Rijeka. Coached by Patrick Vieira, the City youngsters walked off the pitch before halftime after Seko Fofana was subjected to racist abuse.
The incident unfolded midway through the game, prompting the City team to abandon the match in protest. Manchester City swiftly condemned the behaviour in an official statement, while Rijeka’s management stated that the reasons for the early termination were “known only to Patrick Vieira.”
This episode echoes a similar event in January 2013, when AC Milan left the field during a friendly against Italian lower-league club Pro Patria after racist insults were aimed at Kevin-Prince Boateng. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns and sanctions, racism remains a persistent and troubling issue in football.
