Alexis Mac Allister has defended Argentina teammate Enzo Fernandez over the offensive chant which has led to racism accusations from the French Football Federation and a number of fans across the globe.<\/strong><\/p>\n Fernandez has already apologised publicly\u00a0and privately after livestreaming a video of himself and a large number of the Argentinian players celebrating their Copa America triumph by singing a transphobic, discriminatory chant about the France squad they beat in the 2022 World Cup final.<\/p>\n Liverpool\u00a0midfielder Mac Allister has moved to defend Fernandez, who was by no means the only player seen singing the chant, by insisting Europe\u2019s perception of racism is softer than in South America.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to be careful with what you say or do,\u201d Mac Allister told\u00a0Urbana Play<\/em>. \u201cEspecially in Europe where they are much more sensitive than here. The reality is that we are not a racist country; we are not used to talking about racism so much.<\/p>\n \u201cEnzo has already apologised and explained what happened. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s much more to say.\u00a0We know Enzo, we know he would never do it with bad intentions, he\u2019s not that guy, he\u2019s not racist.\u201d<\/p>\n Chelsea\u00a0have opened an investigation into Fernandez\u2019s conduct but the midfielder\u2019s actions stand to create a huge issue for the Blues after teammates Wesley Fofana and David Datro Fofana publicly called out Fernandez\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n Fofana, a French international, described the video as \u201cuninhibited racism\u201d, before Ivorian Fofana insisted \u201cthese acts have no place in football or anywhere else\u201d.<\/p>\n Reports suggest there has been a rift in the Chelsea dressing room over the response to the issue, with a number of the team\u2019s black players unfollowing Fernandez on social media.<\/p>\n Chelsea\u2019s first ever black player, Paul Canoville, has offered to aid any \u201crestorative process\u201d at the club on behalf of his foundation.<\/p>\n Fernandez has apologised for the video \/ Gustavo Pagano\/GettyImages<\/p>\n Fofana\u2019s decision to go public with his disappointment left another Argentina international, Atletico Madrid\u2019s Rodrigo de Paul, unimpressed.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand that people who have suffered from racism might not like it, but I think if any of Enzo\u2019s teammates feel offended, the way is to call him, not post it on social media,\u201d he told\u00a0OLGA<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s malice in this; they\u2019re trying to make it something it\u2019s not. It\u2019s very strange, like kicking someone when they\u2019re down. Unfollowing him seems pointless to me. You can call him and say: \u2018This isn\u2019t okay, why don\u2019t you post a message apologising?\u2019, and the issue ends there.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Fernandez\u2019s father has launched his own defence of the Chelsea midfielder.<\/p>\n \u201cI know who my son is and he is not like that!\u201d Raul Fernandez explained to\u00a0Deportes Argentos<\/em>. \u201cHe\u2019s not racist, never!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard for a European to understand our football culture like chants and celebrations. He recorded that live video at an inopportune moment. It was bad, he didn\u2019t even realise what he was singing.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2014, when Germany beat us, they imitated the way gauchos walked and treated us like idiots. In 2018, France was criticising [Lionel] Messi because of his height. We never came out and said that we were being discriminated against.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n
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