Hannibal Mejbri Alleges Racial Abuse by Milutin Osmajic in Championship Clash

Incident Details

Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has accused Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic of racial abuse during their Championship match on Saturday. The incident occurred at Deepdale, where the match ended in a goalless draw.

Player Reactions

Hannibal, who joined Burnley from Manchester United in August 2024, expressed his outrage on Instagram: "I will not be silent about what happened today. I will always call out racism whenever I hear or see it. That is the only way we change as a sport and a society. I am a strong person but nobody should have to experience this disgusting abuse on the pitch."

Club Statements

Burnley has stated they are "aware of an alleged comment" and will provide full support to the 22-year-old midfielder. On the other hand, Preston has revealed that Osmajic "strongly refuted" these claims during a post-match meeting with officials.

Match Interruption

The match was delayed for several minutes in the second half when Hannibal reacted furiously to something allegedly said by Osmajic. Hannibal then spoke extensively with referee Andrew Kitchen, who has registered the complaint.

Post-match Developments

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford took to social media with the message: "Kick it out, no place for that in football." Additionally, a Preston player reportedly visited the Burnley changing room after the match to check on Hannibal's wellbeing.

Manager Comments

Burnley manager Scott Parker commented to BBC Sport: "He's hurt. I think everyone could see that at the time, Hannibal's an emotional player and he was visibly very stressed by what was said. I don't want to get into the real details of what was said, I'm sure it'll come out in due course.

Upcoming Matches

The two teams are set to face each other again in the FA Cup fifth round on March 1st.

Previous Incidents

In October, Osmajic was banned for eight games and fined £15,000 by the FA for biting Blackburn's Owen Beck.