‘There’s a lot of division’ that must end – Liam Rosenior on Vinicius Junior abuse

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has spoken out about the ongoing problem of racism in football and society, citing the recent abuse aimed at Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior by a Benfica player in the Champions League as a concerning example.

Rosenior, who has won eight of 11 matches since replacing Enzo Maresca, admitted that incidents like this are part of a broader societal issue.

“It’s upsetting. Always, there needs to be context to it. You can see any form of racism in society, not just football, is unacceptable.

“I cannot speak about an incident where an investigation is ongoing. What I would say is when you see a player upset how Vinicius Jr was upset, normally they’re upset for a reason,” he said.

The Chelsea boss did not limit his remarks to football, highlighting how prejudice manifests across media, communities, and online platforms.

“There’s a lot of division. There’s a lot of people in the media who make prejudgements on people or how they behave or who they are based on their sexual orientation, what country they come from, what religion they are, what colour of skin they have,” Rosenior said.

He added that accountability is lacking in wider society. “I think it’s a wider debate than just football. I think people should be held a lot more accountable than they are at the moment, in terms of social media, in terms of the press, to make sure that these things are stamped out because everybody should be judged equally based on the content of their character.”

On the pitch, Rosenior’s Chelsea face a tough test this weekend against Burnley, who sit second from bottom in the Premier League table.

The Blues drew their last league match against Leeds United, and Rosenior will be looking for a response from his side.