Liverpool boss Arne Slot praises Antoine Semenyo's mentality despite racial abuse

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has praised Antoine Semenyo’s resilience after the AFC Bournemouth striker was subjected to racist abuse during Friday night’s Premier League season opener at Anfield.

The Ghana forward reported the incident to the referee midway through the first half, prompting officials from both sides to intervene.

Play was briefly halted before resuming, with Semenyo responding in remarkable fashion by netting twice in the second half, though Bournemouth eventually fell 4-2 to Liverpool.

Speaking after the game, Slot condemned the incident and expressed admiration for the 24-year-old’s ability to maintain focus under such circumstances.

"It's a good thing you talk about this, and it's a good thing that I have to answer this, but after actually this day should be about Diogo and about how the tribute was. But we definitely need to address this because it's unacceptable in every football stadium, let alone at Anfield.

"I spoke to him [Semenyo] after the game that we will try to do everything to find that person. I am not 100 per cent sure but I think they already found him. That's a good thing."

The Dutchman revealed he spoke with Semenyo after the match and reassured him of support.

"Wherever we can help him, we will try to do so. Big credit to him, if something happens like this and you can perform so well in the second half, then he's not only a great player, because that I can see [with] how fast he is, but he is also very strong mentally.

"If something like that happened [and] to get such a second-half performance, that sums up him as a person and him as a player. But, again, [it's] unacceptable in football in general, let alone at Anfield," he added.

Semenyo, who was Bournemouth’s standout performer on the night, will look to build on his impressive display when the Cherries host Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Vitality Stadium next weekend.

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