Bayern Munich condemn racist abuse of Dayot Upamecano after Champions League red card
The defender was dismissed in Bayern’s last-16 defeat by Lazio
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Your support makes all the difference.Bayern Munich have condemned racist abuse directed at defender Dayot Upamecano on social media after his sending-off in the Champions League.
Upamecano was dismissed for a late tackle on Gustav Isaksen as Ciro Immobile’s penalty gave Lazio a first-leg lead in the last-16 tie.
The France international will now be suspended for the second leg on 5 March.
After being shown red, Upamecano was subjected to racist comments, prompting the club to condemn those sending abuse to the defender.
“FC Bayern strongly condemn the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media,” Bayern posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club. We’re all behind you, Upa!”
German news agency DPA have also reported that the club’s chief executive raised the comments in a speech to the team at their Rome hotel after the defeat.
“What has particularly bothered me are the disgusting comments afterwards on social media. To that, all I can say is that it is abhorrent,” DPA quoted Jan-Christian Dreesen as saying. “This type of racist mob, this isn’t our world. This isn’t FC Bayern. It’s something that we will not put up with.”
The Champions League loss came on the back of a damaging defeat by title rivals Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
The 3-0 victory extended Leverkusen’s lead at the top of the table to five points.
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