Anderlecht coach Frankie Vercauteren has defended Nenad Jestrovic after the Serbian was sent off for allegedly making a racist remark at Liverpool’s Momo Sissoko.
Jestrovic was given his marching orders on 75 minutes during his team’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in their Group G game at Anfield.
The two players clashed and the Serbian forward is claimed to have said: “Fuck off, black.”
Jestrovic said Sissoko had sworn at him but the referee Kim Milton Nielsen instantly showed the Anderlecht player the red card.
However, Vercauteren claimed his player had done nothing untoward.
“I can’t repeat in detail in a press conference what was said but it was the type of language used fifty times in an average game,” said Vercauteren.
“Sissoko said something to him (Jestrovic) and he replied in kind and he was sent off. But I think if he was sent off both players should have been sent off.”
Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez said he had not spoken to Mali international Sissoko about the incident.
