Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has called for the permanent expulsion of any individual found guilty of racist conduct in football, following the disturbing events during Tuesday’s Champions League clash in Lisbon. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League match against Burnley, the Blues boss delivered a firm mandate on the sport’s accountability after UEFA launched a formal investigation into claims that Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. While the European governing body reviews evidence from the 1-0 Real Madrid victory, Rosenior insisted that there is no room for neutrality when dealing with discrimination.
The incident at the Estadio da Luz, which saw play suspended for 11 minutes after Vinícius reported a racial slur, has sparked a global debate on player protection. Rosenior, who has been a vocal advocate for equality throughout his career, highlighted that the distress shown by the Brazilian international was a clear indicator of the gravity of the abuse. Despite Benfica’s defense of Prestianni and manager José Mourinho’s criticism of Vinícius’s celebration, Rosenior argued that the focus must remain on the psychological trauma inflicted upon victims of prejudice.
“If any player, any coach, or any manager is found guilty of racism, they shouldn’t be in the game. It’s as simple as that. It’s upsetting. Any form of racism in society, not just football, is unacceptable. When you see a player as upset as Vinícius was, normally they’re upset for a reason,” Rosenior told BBC Sport and other outlets on Thursday.
The Chelsea manager’s stance stems from his own personal history with discrimination, which he described as the “worst feeling you can ever imagine.” He emphasized that the footballing community must move beyond simple education and toward rigorous enforcement of consequences. As UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector gathers testimonies—including reports that Prestianni used a specific slur multiple times—Rosenior believes that a “zero-tolerance” policy is the only way to preserve the integrity of the game and protect players from being judged by their background or ethnicity.
“I have been racially abused myself. When you are judged for something you should be proud of, it is the worst feeling you can ever possibly imagine,” Rosenior added. As the investigation continues, Prestianni faces a minimum 10-match ban if the allegations are proven, while Benfica could face stadium closures. For Rosenior, however, the solution is more absolute: anyone proven to harbor such “divisions” should forfeit their right to participate in professional football entirely.
