After playing a 1-1 draw in their Premier League fixture, Chelsea’s defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley’s midfielder Hannibal Mejbri endured racial abuse on social media. Fofana, who was sent off in the 72nd minute after receiving a second yellow, shared screenshots of messages he received on the Instagram. “2026, it’s still the same thing, nothing changes,” the Frenchman wrote on Instagram. “These people are never punished. You create big campaigns against racism, but nobody actually does anything.” Chelsea condemned the abuse on their official website. “Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and runs counter to the values of the game and everything we stand for as a club. There is no room for racism,” they said in a statement. “We stand unequivocally with Wes. He has our full support, as do all our players, who are too often forced to endure this hatred simply for doing their job. We will work with the relevant authorities and platforms in identifying the perpetrators and take the strongest possible action.” Mejbri, who was one of the players fouled by Fofana for a yellow card, also posted the messages of abuse on social media. “Educate yourself and your kids,” he wrote in an Instagram story.Story continues below this ad Burnley backed the Tunisian in a statement, saying there was no space for racism at the club. “There is no place for this in our society and we condemn it unreservedly,” they said on their website. “The club continues to be unequivocal in its stance – we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. The club has reported the post to Instagram’s parent company, Meta, and expects strong support from them, together with the Premier League and the police, and will work to ensure that the individual responsible is identified and investigated.” Not an isolated incident Earlier this week, another incident in Champions League clash between Benfica and Real Madrid was making the headlines. Madrid’s star winger Vinicius Jr said that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni used racial slurs for him while covering his mouth with jersey to avoid detection.Story continues below this ad The allegations were confirmed by other Madrid players like Kylian Mbappe and Aurélien Tchouaméni. Madrid players left the field and the game was halted for more than ten minutes after the referee activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol.
‘It’s 2026, and nothing changes’: Chelsea and Burnley stars expose vile racial abuse after Premier League game
