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A Chelsea supporter has admitted directing abuse at Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling but said the vitriol was 'not racist in nature' after the club suspended four people from Stamford Bridge over Saturday's incident.
A police investigation was launched after a video posted online showed the 24-year-old England international being shouted at by fans as he went to collect the ball during City's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge.
One of the supporters identified said that he had directed insults at Sterling but that they were not racist in nature.
"I'm deeply ashamed by my own behaviour and I feel really bad," Colin Wing, 60, was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
Wing said he used an expletive along with the word "Manc" rather than "black".
"I've been going to Chelsea for 50 years now and, because of where I sit, I'm picked up on the camera most weeks. If I had a history of saying this sort of thing I would've been caught by now," he added.
The supporter offered his apologies to the player and said he had lost his season ticket and his job.
"Even if it wasn't racist, it's not right what I said. Even the swearing is bad -- but I got carried away," he added.
A Chelsea statement on Monday said that four people had been banned while the investigation continues and that the club "will also fully support any criminal prosecutions".
A spokesperson from the club told Reuters they would not be commenting any further at this stage.
No arrests were made after Saturday's match but the Metropolitan Police said they would review footage to determine whether any racist abuse took place.
Sterling had posted a statement on Instagram on Sunday in which he said that newspapers were fuelling racism in football due to their negative portrayal of young black players in comparison to their white counterparts.
His comments were echoed by the Professional Footballers' Association and former players such as John Barnes.
Guardiola praises Sterling over handling of alleged abuse
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hailed Raheem Sterling as an "incredible person" after the English forward hit out at the media coverage that he said helps fuel racism.
Sterling made the comment on Sunday a day after he faced alleged racist abuse from a supporter during City's 2-0 Premier League defeat by Chelsea at StamfordBridge.
"Raheem said it perfectly. He is an incredible person, an incredible human being," Guardiola told a news conference on Tuesday.
"In the 21st century it's tough to understand today what happened years ago for black people. You have to protect how equal we are together and help us to be better.
"Racism is everywhere, it's not just in football. We have to fight to make a better future for everyone, not just in England but everywhere."
Chelsea have suspended four supporters from attending matches pending investigation and the Metropolitan Police are reviewing the video footage of the incident.
"I appreciate what Chelsea did and if it happened in my club we would do the same," Guardiola added.
The Professional Footballers' Association was critical of media's portrayal of Sterling, saying the England international and former Liverpool player was often singled out.
When asked if Sterling faces a harsh treatment from the media, Guardiola said: "I don't know. When I arrived here I spoke with him because I know he was so active on social media.
"You expect it (negativity) when he's played bad, but just for the colour of his skin? No."
City have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and need a point against Hoffenheim on Wednesday to secure top spot in Group F.
Guardiola said he has only 15 fully fit first-team players available for selection after David Silva was ruled out with a muscular strain.
The Spanish midfielder was substituted against Chelsea in the second half and he will join striker Sergio Aguero and playmaker Kevin de Bruyne on the sidelines.
"I can't rotate too much. If I could have one thing, it would be to get my players back," he said.
"We have to try and win every game and finish first, just to have that little advantage in the last 16."
Prove your value, Rivaldo urges Barca's Dembele
Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele needs to improve his attitude and focus on being more professional even if he does want to leave the La Liga leaders, the club's former championship winning player Rivaldo has said.
Dembele, who joined Barcelona in August 2017 for 105 million euros ($119.45 million), suffered injury problems in his first year and this season has been criticised for his behaviour, including turning up late to training and events.
Media reports have linked the 21-year-old with a move away from the Nou Camp during next month's transfer window.
Brazilian Rivaldo, who played for Barca for five years from 1997 and is regarded as one of the most skilful attackers of his generation, said there was no doubting the Frenchman's talents.
Dembele has only scored 12 goals for Barca but several of those have been important strikes in the league, the Spanish Super Cup and the Champions League.
"Ousmane Dembele's situation at Barcelona is upsetting because he's already shown that he can play very well, score goals and be an important member of the team," Rivaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, told Betfair.
"He just needs to focus on being a little more professional and to stop being late for training sessions.
"This is not the correct mentality for someone potentially trying to leave Barcelona. It's always strange to hear that someone might want to leave a big club in this way.
"If he wants to leave, he must prove his value by playing well and not missing training sessions to recover his credibility as a professional. That will generate interest from other clubs. If he doesn't change, he is hurting himself more than the club."
Reports in the Spanish media said that Dembele arrived two hours late for training on Sunday after Barca's 4-0 league win over Espanyol the previous evening.
He may get a chance at redemption later on Tuesday when Barcelona take on Tottenham Hotspur in Group B of the Champions League. Ernesto Valverde's side have already qualified for the last 16 as group winners ahead of the final matchday, but Rivaldo said that his former team should be wary of Spurs who need a win to guarantee a place in the next round.
"With Barcelona already through to the knockout stages, and with the added possibility of them rotating their team, Spurs will have a bigger chance to upset them, but it won't be easy to win at Camp Nou," the former world player of the year added.
"Barca could become more vulnerable if they change anything in defence because Tottenham are such a talented attacking team. Players that have had less minutes on the pitch compared to the usual starting XI will naturally concede more chances."
Rivaldo lifted the Champions League trophy with AC Milan in 2003 but tipped the Catalans as favourites for this year's competition, just ahead of record 13-times winners Real Madrid and Premier League champions Manchester City.
Former England footballer Gascoigne pleads not guilty to sexual assault
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a charge of committing sexual assault on a train and will appear before Teeside Crown Court on January 8.
The 51-year-old, a former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio player, widely known as Gazza, was arrested at Durham train station in northern England in August and later released while police investigated the incident.
He appeared at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on Tuesday where he entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of one count of sexual assault by touching.
Gascoigne elected for a crown court hearing.
Gascoigne, who has spent several spells in rehab battling alcohol and drug addiction, played 57 times for England between 1988 and 1998.
Everton deny Watford with last-gasp equaliser
Everton’s France defender Lucas Digne scored with a superb free kick deep into added time to salvage a 2-2 draw with Watford in a frenetic Premier League clash at Goodison Park on Monday.
Richarlison had given the home side an early lead before Watford made it 2-1 with two goals in three minutes just past the hour mark, Seamus Coleman scoring an own goal and Abdoulaye Doucoure powering home a header.
With Gylfi Sigurdsson spurning the chance to equalise for the hosts when his penalty was saved just minutes later, Watford looked to be heading for a win but Digne then popped up with his first Everton goal to salvage a point.
The night had started well for the Merseysiders, looking for the win that would have lifted them above Manchester United into sixth place, when Brazilian striker Richarlison scored against his old club after a quarter of an hour.
The goal was controversial, however, with Everton’s Theo Walcott appearing to be offside in the build-up.
“I prefer not to say anything about the referees,” said Watford manager Javi Gracia. “If VAR was ready today the result would have been different.”
Everton’s Coleman then put through his own goal in the 63rd minute when Roberto Pererya’s effort hit the post and rebounded off the defender into the net, before Doucoure put the visitors in front when he rose above Coleman to head firmly home.
Three minutes later Christian Kabasele clumsily fouled Everton defender Yerry Mina in the penalty area but Sigurdsson’s spot kick down the middle was saved by the legs of Ben Foster.
It was the Icelander’s second penalty miss from his last three.
As the clock ticked down, mid-table Watford thought they had done enough for the win but France international Digne stepped up to curl his free-kick into the net and deny the visitors.
Aduriz strike gives Bilbao first league win since August
Athletic Bilbao won their first La Liga match since their opener in August when an added-time penalty from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz secured a 1-0 win over Girona for newly-installed manager Gaizka Garitano on Monday.
Bilbao's former goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz had an inspired night for the visitors and it looked like the struggling Basque outfit, who parted company with coach Eduardo Berrizo last week, would go a 14th league game without a victory.
However there was late drama when Bilbao substitute Iker Muniain was felled in the box and VAR confirmed it was a penalty. Aduriz, 37, kept his cool to score with a Panenka-style chip down the middle to send San Mames stadium into raptures.
It was the perfect start for Garitano, who has been promoted from managing the club's 'B' team, with Bilbao still in the final relegation place but now on 14 points from 15 games and only below Villarreal on their head-to-head record.
They are the only team besides Real Madrid and Barcelona never to be relegated from Spain's top flight.
