PORTSMOUTH have launched an investigation into claims academy players racially abused England stars in a sickening leaked group chat.
A leaked group chat has been circulating on social media which appears to show Pompey youngsters sending vile messages to each other following England‘s penalty shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed their spot-kicks at Wembley as the Italians lifted the trophy.
And now it’s claimed a group of Portsmouth academy players sent revolting messages to each other in the aftermath.
The players in question sent monkey emojis and wrote ‘houses are getting bombed’ and ‘death threats immediately’ in a string of truly disturbing messages.
Another horrid message read: “F*** the n*****s absolute c***ts.”
One even claimed: “Rashford is getting lynched.”
The club have now revealed they have launched an investigation.
A statement read: “Portsmouth Football Club are aware of images circulating on social media that allegedly originate from an academy Under-18 group chat and which are discriminatory in nature.
“The club have launched an immediate investigation and will provide an update once this has been completed.”
It continued: “Portsmouth Football Club strongly condemn racism and are totally committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination.
“There is no place for it in our game or society as a whole.”
Boris Johnson recently told sick racist trolls to ‘crawl back under their rock’ in a scathing assessment of the abuse aimed at England stars in recent days.
Lashing out at the vile individuals, the Prime Minister said: “To those who have been directing racist abuse at some of the players, I say shame on you.
“I hope you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged.”
Arsenal star Saka, 19, touched the nation’s hearts as he wept after missing the decisive penalty in the shootout against Italy.
But moments later, monkey and banana emojis began flooding his Instagram account.
Rashford, 23, and Sancho, 21, both faced similar online abuse – with a mural of the former in Withington defaced, before local heroes raced to cover it.
Rashford later responded in an emotional statement, saying: “The messages I’ve received today have been positively overwhelming and seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears.
“The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up.
“I’m Marcus Rashford, 23-years-old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that.”
MORE TO FOLLOW…
