Liverpool has requested an "urgent and thorough" investigation following incidents where their under-18s team walked off the pitch in two separate games, alleging racial abuse in Germany.
The squad exited the field during their first match of the Bundesliga Cup youth tournament against Hoffenheim on Friday after a player claimed he was racially targeted.
The following day, during a match against Frankfurt, the same player reported abuse, leading to the team's departure and the match's abandonment.
A statement from Liverpool FC confirmed that an under-18s team member reported racial abuse by an opponent while playing in the Bundesliga Cup youth tournament at Schwabisch Hall in Germany on Friday.
The player promptly informed the match official, his teammates, and the coaching staff, prompting LFC’s management team to halt the game and collectively leave the pitch.
In another incident, the same player was subjected to abuse during a tournament fixture today. Once again, he notified his teammates and coaching staff, and the management team chose to withdraw from the pitch again.
Liverpool expressed pride in the player's decision to report the incident and commended his "maturity" in handling the situation.
Frankfurt's sporting director Timmo Hardung, after speaking with the accused player from his club, described the incident as a "misunderstanding," attributing it to a language issue, as reported by the German newspaper Bild.
Hardung emphasized that racism is not tolerated and that such allegations are taken seriously.
Both Hoffenheim and Frankfurt, as well as the Bundesliga Cup organizers, have been approached for comments.
