Burnley players refused to shake hands with Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic before their FA Cup fifth-round tie on Saturday, following allegations of racist abuse. The incident occurred during the pre-match handshakes at Deepdale.
Osmajic had been accused of racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri during a Championship match between the two sides on February 15th. Osmajic, a Montenegro international, “strongly refuted” the allegations. He was named in Preston starting lineup.
Hannibal was not included in the Burnley squad for the FA Cup tie. Before the match, Burnley manager Scott Parker stated that the decision to omit Hannibal was made to “protect” the player from the spotlight, describing him as “a vitally important member of this squad.” Parker emphasized that the decision was primarily his own, although Hannibal was available for selection.
During the pre-match handshakes, none of the Burnley players offered their hand to Osmajic, who was last in the Preston line. After attempting to shake hands with the first few Burnley players, Osmajic walked past the remainder of the lineup without interaction.
Osmajic later scored in the first half, putting Preston 2-0 up, and celebrated by cupping his hands around his ears in the direction of the away fans.
The Football Association (FA) is currently investigating the alleged incident between Osmajic and Hannibal. If found guilty, Osmajic faces a minimum six-match ban.
Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom, when asked about the situation before the match, confirmed he had not considered leaving Osmajic out of the squad, stating his position as “innocent until proven guilty.” The pre-match snub by Burnley players highlights the ongoing tension and the seriousness of the racism allegations.
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