Premier League Managers Stand Togerther To 'Fight' Racism In Football

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has called for a rule that can permit the Premier League managers to stop the match if a player is racially abused.

Sarri said, "We need a rule for the Premier League but I think for all the championships, for all football, a rule that can permit us to stop the match."

The Chelsea head coach was reacting after the club's 18-year-old winger, Callum Hudson-Odoi, was racially abused twice in 11 days playing for his club and on his England debut.

Chelsea lodged a formal complaint with UEFA over the racist abuse aimed at Hudson-Odoi in the 5-0 Europa League win at Dynamo Kiev on March 14.

UEFA has charged Montenegro with racist behaviour after abuse suffered by England players in their 5-1 victory in Podgorica in a Euro 2020 qualifier on Monday (25th March).

Sarri said, "We need to do something different, probably it's right to stop the match for 10 minutes at the first situation."

Apart from Sarri, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also took a stand against racism. He said is prepared to take their players off the pitch in a bid to combat racist abuse.

In the press conference, Guardiola said that football can be a 'strong weapon' against racism and contemplated abandoning matches in protest.

"Football is a strong weapon, they are not nice words to say, is a strong weapon to defend the principals of humanity," said Guardiola.

"I remember a long time ago the people said you cannot mix football and politics, that is not true. Politics is everywhere, human rights is everywhere."

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp commented on the racist abuse suffered by some England players during England's 5-1 win over Montenegro in Podgorica on Monday, as he spoke to the media ahead of his side's EPL game with Tottenham on Sunday.

Klopp said he was ''disappointed'' that the incident occurred, and he would consider taking his team off the pitch if he felt abuse was serious but would ultimately like match officials to make the decision.

"It's very difficult for me to hear it, to hear things like that in the stadium and probably see it in a moment," said Klopp.

Klopp showed determination to stand together with other coaches on the subject of racism but he said there should be "better ways to punish these guys.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has lent his support to defender Danny Rose, after the defender was one of the players who was subjected to racist abuse during England's 5-1 win over Montenegro in Podgorica on Monday.

"No, he's OK. I think we wanted always from the beginning to show the support. Not only the support to him, support to (Raheem) Sterling or other people that feel," said Pochettino.

Pochettino added, "Our job is to win football games. But if a whole stand could do it then it's completely different."