Manchester United have come to the defence of winger Amad Diallo following a heated incident with supporters in Malaysia that has drawn widespread attention online.
The club issued a formal statement after footage surfaced showing the player making what has been described as an “obscene gesture” towards fans following Wednesday night’s friendly defeat to the ASEAN Allstars.
The altercation occurred as Amad was boarding the team bus, with video clips quickly circulating across social media platforms.
With the squad now in Hong Kong for the next leg of their pre-season tour, the club addressed the controversy on Friday morning, attributing the player’s reaction to provocation.
According to United, the Ivorian winger was responding to “serious personal abuse” directed at his mother—a context they believe explains, though does not excuse, the incident.
Amad has since taken to social media to clarify his actions, acknowledging the inappropriateness of his response but maintaining he was deeply affected by the nature of the insult.
“I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mum,” he posted on X. “I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did.”
The incident casts a shadow over what was meant to be a goodwill fixture in Southeast Asia, and the club’s swift intervention underscores the importance of context in high-profile player-fan interactions.
