"Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist"
Marseille have released an official statement following the brawl that occurred at the end of their 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night.
Neymar was one of five players to be sent off after the brawl. The Brazilian has accused Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez of racially abusing him, calling him a "mono hijo de puta" in his native Spanish, translating to "monkey motherf*****."
Marseille's statement denies that Gonzalez is racist.
The
statement reads:
"Olympique de Marseille is proud of yesterday’s competitive victory over Paris Saint-Germain. This victory, obtained in a fair way, was played out on the pitch thanks to the commitment and dedication of our players, who were able to apply a precise strategy and gameplan.
"Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist, as he has shown through his daily behaviour since joining the club, and as his team-mates have already confirmed. The Club remains at the disposal of the disciplinary committee to fully cooperate in the investigation of all the events that occurred in the match, and the 24 hours which followed.
"This controversy is serious and has already produced serious consequences. The club condemns the dissemination of the private telephone numbers of Alvaro Gonzalez and his relatives on Brazilian media and social networks overnight, giving rise to constant harassment -- including death threats.
"Olympique de Marseille is the very symbol of anti-racism in French professional sport, given its history and that of the city of Marseille, who's diversity stands firm in the relentless struggle against racism. Its players demonstrate this in their daily commitment on and off the field."
Neymar has also issued a statement, posted to his Instagram page, in which he acknowledges his actions may not have been advisable, but reiterates that Gonzalez "knew what he said."
You can read Neymar's statement in full
here.
