French defender Dayot Upamecano faced racial abuse on social media following his team’s loss to Lazio in the Champions League match on Wednesday, February 14.
Bayern Munich issued a statement on social media condemning the racist comments directed at the player after he received a red card for tackling Gustav Isaksen, resulting in a penalty that led to a 0-1 defeat in favour of Lazio in the last-16 tie.
“FC Bayern strongly condemns the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media. Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club. We’re all behind you, Upa!” Bayern posted on X.
Reacting to the racist comments, Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said he was appalled by the “disgusting comments” directed at Upamecano on social media, German news agency DPA reported.
“What has particularly bothered me are the disgusting comments afterwards on social media. To that, all I can say is that it is abhorrent,” DPA quoted Dreesen as saying.
“This type of racist mob, this isn’t our world. This isn’t FC Bayern. It’s something that we will not put up with,” he said.
This incident is not the first in Upamecano’s football career; he previously faced racial abuse on social media after the club’s loss at Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals in 2023.