Eden Hazard has offered public support to Raheem Sterling after the Manchester City forward was allegedly racially abused at Chelsea during a Premier League game.
Sterling was berated by a section of the Stamford Bridge crowd during Chelsea s 2-0 defeat of the Premier League champions, with the club subsequently suspending four people from attending matches pending further investigations.
The Metropolitan Police also launched an investigation into whether Sterling was racially abused by spectators and Hazard has backed the England international.
The only thing I can say is I support the player. Sterling is a fantastic player, Hazard told Sky Sports.
There is an investigation, so we don t know what will happen.
Proper Chelsea fans just sing for Chelsea and enjoy the game.
I am fully supportive of Raheem and this sort of racism cannot be in the stadium anymore.
Gary neville talking alot of real real stuff right now
— Andre Gray (@AndreGray7)
Former England coach Gary Neville has revealed Sterling approached him asking for advice on how to cope with criticism during Euro 2016, where the Three Lions exited to Iceland in the last 16 and what were perceived to be his poor performances were highlighted in the media.
He came to see me one on one in 2016, I think it was three or four days before the Iceland game, Neville said on Sky Sports.
Pre-tournament, I don t know if you remember, he was getting absolutely battered. Getting so much stick, we were aware of that. Fans were onto him, the media was onto him. Asking a lot of questions about him.
It then continued into the tournament, into the stadiums, to the point where those groans and boos, little things. It takes a lot for a player to come and see a coach. I was in the analysis room, I remember the analysts leaving.
He walked in and started to unload on me why was this happening? Why was this so personally accepted? He d accepted he d get criticism for playing for England for his performance levels. He d accepted he d be scrutinised as an England player, he didn t want any special treatment.
But that it was so vicious, he felt so targeted, he didn t know what to do about it. I saw someone that has a great mentality and is tough but is also vulnerable in terms of how does he deal with it, how does he cope with it, how does he come out of it?
