Chelsea star Marcos Alonso will no longer take knee before matches and claims anti-racism gesture is ‘losing strength’
MARCUS ALONSO has decided he will no longer take a knee before games alongside his Chelsea team-mates.
And the Blues left-back reckons the strength of the symbolic anti-racism gesture is fading.
Sky reports the Spain international, 30, whose team play Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup next, has chosen to point to the Prem’s ‘No Room for Racism’ emblem on his shirt.
Speaking after Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat of Tottenham, Alonso said: “I prefer to do it this way and, of course, to say very clearly that I am against racism and I respect everybody.
“I am fully against racism and I’m against every type of discrimination, and I just prefer to put my finger to the badge where it says no to racism as they do in some other sports and football in other countries.
When questioned as to whether his choice concerned political reasons, the Spain full-back added: “I don’t know, I just prefer to do it this way.
“It’s my way to do it, I think it’s another way.
“And maybe I think it’s losing a bit of strength the other way, so I just prefer to do it this way and to show I am fully supportive of fighting against racism.”
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Earlier this year Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha became the first Premier League player to stop taking the knee after stating he believed it was ‘degrading’.
And in August Brentford confirmed Ivan Toney’s decision to make his own personal gesture before games as opposed to kneeling with other Bees players
Alonso, who has made seven Chelsea appearances this term, says he has not conversed with his Blues team-mates on the issue, some of whom have been on the receiving end of racist abuse.
For now I prefer to point to the sleeve and that’s what I will do
Marcus Alonso
Players include Reece James, Antonio Rudiger, N’Golo Kante and Romelu Lukaku who have all been subjected to racially derogatory abuse online.
And the bigoted online barrage led James to momentarily take down his Instagram page.
Alonso added: “We are in the changing room and we are like a family.
“I have a very good relationship with everyone, I love everyone and up to now we haven’t talked about it.
“I don’t think there is a need to, but, of course, if I have to speak to anyone, I will say the same thing I just told you and I don’t think there will be any problems.
“Yeah, for now, I prefer to point to the sleeve and that’s what I will do.”