Manchester City have expressed their disgust at the “vile” racial abuse directed at Kyle Walker following Wednesday’s loss to Juventus.
The club released a statement saying: “Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night’s fixture.
“We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, whether that be in stadiums or online. We will be offering Kyle our full support following the disgusting treatment he has received.”
Walker himself also spoke out, sharing an image of a message he received which read: “Bro you can f*** around and die you stupid a** n****”.
Alongside the post, Walker wrote: “No one should ever be subject to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night’s match. @instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse.
“It is never acceptable. To our fans, we will continue working as a team to do better, to improve, and to turn the corner together.
The FA also issued a statement, expressing their disappointment: “We are incredibly disappointed that Kyle has been subject to such abhorrent abuse on social media. Discrimination of any kind is completely unacceptable.
“We support strong action by the authorities and social media companies.”
Walker, 34, has been a key figure for City, boasting an impressive haul of titles including the Champions League, six Premier League crowns, two FA Cups, and four League Cups.
Elevated to captaincy this season, he stands among City’s elite leadership group alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Ilkay Gundogan. However, despite the star-studded lineup, City faced a setback in Turin, succumbing to a Juventus side powered by goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie.
This defeat adds to a worrying trend, marking their seventh loss in ten matches across all competitions, leaving their Champions League aspirations hanging by a thread as they languish in 22nd place in the table. With crucial games against Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge looming, City’s playoff hopes are on the line.
The team looks to bounce back in their upcoming derby against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium, followed by a pre-Christmas challenge at Aston Villa on Saturday 21 December.
In the wake of the Juventus loss, a reflective Pep Guardiola admitted: “Of course [I am questioning myself]. I have my thoughts. I’m stable in good moments and bad moments.
“I try to find a way to do it. I’m incredibly honest.
“If we play good, we play good. “Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night’s fixture.
“The dressing room is stable. Win we are happy, lose we are not. What can we do?
“No, we improve it and go forward. We have been in this situation this month many times.
“Tomorrow [we will] recover, prepare for United with our people, insist in the good things we do and try to be better.”
