LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has said anyone in football found guilty of racism “should not be in the game” after Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior was allegedly racially abused during a Champions League match.

Play in Real Madrid’s clash away to Benfica on Tuesday was stopped for 10 minutes after the Spanish giants’ forward Vinicius told the referee that the hosts’ Gianluca Prestianni had called him a “monkey” during a confrontation.

The Argentine midfielder, who covered his mouth during the argument after Vinicius had celebrated a goal dancing in front of the home fans during the first leg of a knockout phase play-off, denies the allegation.

European football governing body UEFA announced on Wednesday it would investigate “allegations of discriminatory behaviour”, with Brazilian star Vinicius repeatedly subjected to racist abuse since joining Real in 2018.

Rosenior, while not commenting on the case directly, urged football authorities to take stronger action against racism.

“It’s upsetting,” he said Thursday. “There’s context that needs to be had in terms of this situation. What I will say, any form of racism in society 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 Junior was upset, normally they’re upset for a reason. I’ve been racially abused myself.”

Rosenior, who is of mixed heritage, added: “If any coach, player or manager is ever found guilty of racism, they shouldn’t be in the game. It’s as simple as that for me.”

Rosenior wrote an open letter to United States (US) president Donald Trump in June 2020 in the days after the murder by a police officer of George Floyd in Minneapolis, an event that inspired the global Black Lives Matter movement.

In it, he referred to “an unjust, corrupt and fundamentally prejudiced society” in America that was a part of a centuries-old legacy of racism.

During last week’s Football Association (FA) Cup game away to Hull, home supporters chanted homophobic slurs directed at Chelsea fans.

Rosenior, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s game at home to Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, said: “There are a lot of things need to change in our society.

“I’m not talking about football. There’s a lot of division. There’s a lot of people in the media make prejudgements on people based on sexual orientation, what country they come from, what religion they are, what colour skin they have.

“It sickens me, to be honest. It’s a wider debate than just football. People need to be held a lot more accountable than they are in terms of social media, in terms of the press, to make sure these things are stamped out.”