UEFA Europa League

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara and other Black players on the team were booed each time they were on the ball by a number of Sparta Prague's youth supporters during the Europa League match between the clubs on Thursday. 

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard told reporters after the game that UEFA needs to address instances of racism more comprehensively and seriously:

During the game I haven't been aware, I've just been focused on the game and the tactical changes I was trying to think about to try and get us back into the game as we were trailing. If they're facts and that's the truth I am extremely disappointed but not surprised. What I’m saying is we need the facts. ... But if that’s the case and they were targeting Glen it's extremely disappointing because the reason there's a lot of kids in the stadium is because of previous similar incidents so of course it's extremely disappointing, if that was the case. There needs to be more done. Not just myself but everyone across the world is asking for more punishment in terms of racism, it needs to be eradicated. But until the powers that be do more and treat it more seriously—until that happens—we're going to be dealing with these questions for a long time.

Because Sparta was being punished for racist chanting during a match against Monaco earlier this season, Thursday's contest was supposed to be held without fans. But 10,000 schoolchildren were granted admission, and reportedly continued Sparta's troubling history of racist fan behavior:

It is not the only time Kamara has been the victim of racial abuse in the Czech Republic. Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela was banned for 10 games by UEFA in April for racially abusing Kamara, after he was seen shouting in the Rangers player's ear. 

"UEFA should have imposed a minimum year-long ban rather than a tokenistic 10 match ban," Kamara’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said at the time. "Under the UEFA disciplinary regulations Kudela could have been banned for 'at least ten matches or a specified period of time,' and we firmly believe that UEFA should have made use of the significant discretion available to them, to send a far stronger message that this type of abhorrent conduct will not be tolerated on the football field."

Anwar also condemned Thursday's abuse:

I had hoped when I heard of the stadium closure of Sparta Prague that both Glen and other Black players wouldn't have to put up with any abuse or racism and could just get on with playing football.

But this evening should be an embarrassment for the Czech side that, despite their fans being banned, it still made little difference that the stadium was filled with 10,000 schoolchildren.

A huge proportion of those children booed Glen's every touch of the ball along with every other Black player for Rangers. Tonight shows yet again that Prague has a serious problem with racism and as usual UEFA is nowhere to be seen.

Glen and the Rangers players have shown total class, but no player should have to face this at their work and on the European stage.

It's unclear how UEFA might punish Sparta Prague for this latest example of racist fan behavior, though critics of the organizing body's response to racism in the past likely won't be pleased if UEFA chooses to simply ban fans from Sparta Prague home matches in the Europa League. 

It is unclear if UEFA would consider removing the club from the competition altogether, given this second instance of racist abuse by fans in the past two months. 

UEFA has appointed a disciplinary investigator to review allegations AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the target of racist abuse targeting his family's Balkan roots during Thursday's Europa League match against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Red Star Belgrade could face discipline from UEFA, which holds home clubs responsible for incidents at their stadiums. The Serbian side didn't have ticketed fans for the fixture, but club officials and other guests were allowed in the stands.

Red Star issued an apology Friday, saying the club would work to identify the man shown on video shouting a derogatory term used toward Muslims at Ibrahimovic:

"As a club, we have done everything to ensure that the organization of the match was up to the level of the two big clubs, and we will not allow one primitive individual to cast a stain on the traditionally well-known hospitality of our country and our people.

"Red Star, in cooperation with the relevant authorities, will find the aforementioned individual and insist on him bearing all the consequences of such behavior."

Ibrahimovic, whose father is Muslim, hasn't publicly commented on the incident.

The 39-year-old Sweden native was an unused substitute for Milan in the 2-2 draw Thursday. He played 75 minutes in Sunday's 3-0 loss to Inter Milan in domestic Serie A play.

Milan and Red Star will play the second leg of their Europa League matchup Thursday at San Siro in Italy. The winner advances to the tournament's round of 16.

UEFA didn't provide a timetable for its investigation into the alleged abuse.