Credit: Google
During the opening match of the Premier League 2025-26 season at Anfield on August 15, Liverpool defeated Bournemouth in a late flurry by 4-2, to start their title defence in style, but the contest had an ugly turn in the 29th minute of the first half. This was when Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo flagged a fan in the grandstand to the referee Anthony Taylor for racially abusing him before play was halted for a few minutes.
It led to the referee briefing the situation to captain and managers of both the teams as per protocol before play resumed at Anfield. The suspected racial abuse didn’t deter the Ghanaian player as he managed to score two breathtaking goals in the second half, to help Bournemouth mount a comeback into the match against Liverpool before the hosts clinched it at the end.
Just a couple of days later, BBC reported that a man, 47, who was arrested on the suspicion of racially abusing Antoine Semenyo at Anfield, has been banned from attending any regulated football match apart from entering within one mile radius of every football stadium located in the UK. According to the Merseyside Police, the man has been conditionally bailed after he was arrested on August 16 apart from revealing that their investigation is still ongoing in collaboration with Liverpool Football Club.
Last night at Anfield will stay with me forever: Antoine Semenyo a day after suspected racial abuse
Following the alleged racial abuse, Antoine Semenyo took to his official X account to thank the support received from the football family apart from pointing out how this will stay with him forever. He also went on to thank his Bournemouth teammates, the opposing players from Liverpool, the Premier League officials, and the fans for handling the situation “professionally”.
In their next match in the Premier League, Bournemouth will take on Wolves on Saturday, August 23, at the Vitality Stadium on the south coast of England.
