Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has said Argentina team-mate Enzo Fernandez is facing undeserved backlash for a video showing the Chelsea midfielder singing a discriminatory chant.
Fernandez apologized this week after posting a video on Instagram following his team's 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final that showed him and other Argentina players singing an offensive song that singled out French players of African descent.
Chelsea and FIFA have launched an investigation into the incident after the French Football Federation (FFF) announced it would file a legal complaint over “racist and discriminatory comments” made by Fernandez and his Argentina team-mates.
Mac Allister, who does not appear in the video, told Argentine radio station Urbana Play: “Enzo has already apologized and explained what happened. There is nothing more to add.”
“We know Enzo, we know that he would never do it with bad intentions. It's more of a chant that stuck and it's more of a mocking tone than anything else. The most important thing is that Enzo apologized and we have to value that.”
The same chants, by some Argentine fans, arose before France and Argentina met in the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won.
Fernandez's teammates Wesley Fofana and Christopher Nkunku of France have expressed their displeasure.
Argentina international Rodrigo de Paul feels Fernandez is being unfairly targeted.
“The thing is that one doesn't analyse the chants on the pitch,” said the Atlético de Madrid midfielder.
“I can understand that people who have suffered racism and all that don't like it. But there are ways. If Enzo… [club] “The teammates felt offended, the way to do it is to call him so he doesn't put it on social media. I think there is a bit of bad intention or putting Enzo in a place where he absolutely shouldn't be.”
Argentina's government on Thursday removed the country's sports undersecretary, Julio Garro, from his post for asking captain Lionel Messi and Argentine Football Federation (AFA) president Claudio Tapia to apologize for the video.
Mac Allister said his country is not racist.
“The reality is that we are not a racist country here,” he said. “We are not used to talking about racism. It is an important issue.”
“You have to be careful with what you do and say, especially in Europe because things are more delicate there.”
