Liverpool youngsters walk off pitch after racist abuse from Juventus player

Juventus have taken disciplinary action against a youth teamer who racially abused a Liverpool player during an under-16 tournament this summer.

The incident was first brought to wider public attention last week when former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse (whose son Prince plays for Liverpool's academy) posted on Instagram claiming that a Next Generation Trophy game in Austria last Friday had to be stopped after a racist term was used by a 15-year-old Juventus player.

Posting to his two million Instagram followers, Cisse wrote: “Now it’s too much. During the game @LiverpoolFC vs @Juventus under 16s (my son Prince Cisse was playing) a kid from Juventus called a @LiverpoolFC a n****.

“The @LiverpoolFC staff had to stop the game. @Juventus what are you gonna do now?

“It’s a f****** shame. 15 years old kid @Juventus, you better act strongly now and shame.”

The Athletic are among the publications to since confirm the incident writing that the match was abandoned after a Liverpool player reported it to the coaching staff who instructed the team to follow protocol and walk off the field.

It is reported that the unnamed Juventus player has since made a full apology and was suspended for the remainder of the tournament, while he has also been made to undertake a course in discrimination education.

A Liverpool spokesman is quoted as saying: “We can confirm that a member of our under-16s team was racially abused by an opponent while playing in the Next Generation youth tournament in Austria.

“The individual responsible was identified immediately and removed from the competition as a result of the swift intervention of our own players and staff, tournament organisers and opposition management, who have also taken additional disciplinary measures inclusive of education.

“We would like to place on record our appreciation for the prompt actions taken by all involved. This applies most of all to the player subjected to the attack, who showed remarkable maturity in following established protocols, including leaving the pitch, in order to report the matter as soon as it occurred. He is receiving the full support of the club.

“We would also reiterate that our condemnation of all forms of racist abuse remains unequivocal and absolute.”