1. FC Union Berlin forward Ilyas Ansah has publicly supported Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany's statement on combating racism in football. Kompany spoke out following an incident involving the alleged abuse of Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match. The 21-year-old Ansah, who has himself experienced racist attacks, emphasized that those responsible for such behavior must be held accountable. He also noted that public figures should clearly oppose discrimination. All articles consistently reported the player's statement, in which he thanked the Belgian coach during a Friday press conference for taking a stand.

Kompany's Statement Following the Incident

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany delivered an extensive monologue on racism following the alleged incident involving Vinícius Júnior during the Real Madrid vs. Benfica match. His speech was widely discussed.

Support from Ilyas Ansah

The young Union Berlin forward publicly thanked Kompany for taking a clear stance. Ansah emphasized that such matters cannot be swept under the rug and require a response from public figures.

Player's Personal Experience with Racism

Ilyas Ansah admitted that he has been the target of racist attacks in his career. He stated that ignoring the problem is wrong and that those who commit such acts should be held accountable.

Criticism of José Mourinho

In his statement, Kompany criticized the stance of coach José Mourinho regarding the entire affair, though the exact nature of this criticism was not detailed in the articles. The incident involved the potentially racist behavior of Gianluca Prestianni.

21-year-old 1. FC Union Berlin forward Ilyas Ansah praised Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany for his firm stance against racism in football during a media interview. The Belgian coach delivered an extensive eleven-minute monologue on the topic following a controversial incident during the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Benfica Lisbon. This involved the alleged racist abuse of Real Madrid's Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior by Benfica defender Gianluca Prestianni. Ansah, who has personal experience with similar attacks, emphasized the importance of public figures speaking out during his Friday press conference. „So etwas darf nicht unter den Teppich gekehrt werden. Dafür darf es keinen Platz geben” – said the young player. He added that it is personally important to him that someone in a position like Kompany's speaks out on such crucial issues. „Weghören ist, glaube ich, nicht das Richtige in so einer Situation. Man sollte schon die Leute versuchen zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen, die sich trauen, rassistisch zu sein” (I believe ignoring is not the right thing in such a situation. One should try to hold accountable those who dare to be racist) — Ilyas Ansah. His statement was a reaction to the widely discussed statement from Kompany, in which the Bayern coach also criticized the stance of his colleague José Mourinho in the context of the entire affair. Racism in European stadiums has remained a serious problem for decades, despite numerous social campaigns led by UEFA and FIFA. In recent years, high-profile cases, such as those involving Vinícius Júnior in Spain or Romelu Lukaku in Italy, regularly shake the football world, sparking debates about the effectiveness of punishments and education.Ansah's statement, from a young player who has already scored five goals in his first Bundesliga season, shows that the problem is still alive and also affects the youngest generation of players. His club, 1. FC Union Berlin, has a reputation for strong social values, which may further strengthen the young forward's message. German media, including „Berliner Zeitung”, „Die Welt”, „ZEIT ONLINE” and „Der Tagesspiegel”, consistently reported his words, noting no discrepancies in their coverage.

Mentioned People

  • Ilyas Ansah — 21-year-old forward for 1. FC Union Berlin, who publicly supported Kompany's stance and spoke about his own experiences with racism.
  • Vincent Kompany — FC Bayern Munich coach, who delivered an extensive monologue condemning racism in football, widely commented on in the media.
  • Vinícius Júnior — Brazilian forward for Real Madrid, whose alleged racist abuse by Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League match became the catalyst for Kompany's statement.
  • José Mourinho — Portuguese coach, whose stance regarding the incident with Vinícius Júnior was criticized by Vincent Kompany.
  • Gianluca Prestianni — Benfica Lisbon defender, who was identified as the perpetrator of the alleged racist incident against Vinícius Júnior.