Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not guilty of racial abuse

Sheffield Wednesday striker Fernando Forestieri found not guilty of racial abuse
Sheffield Wednesday forward Fernando Forestieri has been found not guilty of racially abusing an opposition player before a mass brawl.The Owls striker, 29, was alleged to have called Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce ‘a n****r’ during a pre-season friendly at the One Call Stadium on July 24 last year because he was ‘frustrated’.2

Forestieri has been found not guilty of racial abusing a player

A district judge at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court ruled it was possible the Mansfield captain may have misheard Forestieri, who claimed he was only insulting him in Spanish.In a prepared statement made to police, Forestieri said he‘swore on his son’s life’ he did not racially abuse the Barbados international, claiming he must have been mistaken.The game, which ended in a 2-1 win for home side Mansfield, ended in a ’40-man brawl’ after Forestieri was booked for a scissor tackle on defender Hayden White just after the 80th minute.2

Pearce of Mansfield Town was the player who had allegedly been abused

Pearce confronted Forestieri about the alleged incident after the match but he denied being racist, and apologised if the defender had ‘misheard’.Forestieri, of Chambers Grove, Sheffield, denied racially aggravated harassment and using threatening words or behaviour and heard the verdict announced through a Spanish interpreter.Recording a not guilty verdict on Thursday, District Judge Jonathan Taffe said: “It is clear that the conclusion to the game was anything but friendly, with a mass brawl breaking out which could have led to a wide scale public disorder amongst spectators.

LIVE on talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• West Brom vs Birmingham (Friday, 8:00pm)  talkSPORT 2
• Brighton vs Southampton (Saturday, 3pm)  talkSPORT 2
• West Ham vs Everton (Saturday, 5:30pm)  talkSPORT
• Middlesbrough vs Norwich (Saturday, 5:30pm)  talkSPORT 2
• Portsmouth vs Sunderland (Sunday, 2:30pm)  talkSPORT 2

“I do understand why Mr Forestieri wishes to make the point that he is not a racist – his personal and professional reputation is at stake.“There were thousands of fans, rival fans, players and staff all shouting. This is relevant for, in my judgment, it possibly accounts for the fact that no other person, even those in close proximity, heard what was said.” The judge added: “I have to accept that it is possible, albeit in my judgement unlikely, that Mr Pearce was mistaken and therefore I cannot be satisfied to a criminal standard that the word ‘n****r’ was used and I therefore find Mr Forestieri not guilty as charged.”Leaving court after his trial, Forestieri declined to comment on the not guilty verdict.

---

Gareth Southgate: Champions League final has made my job more complicated. England manager Gareth Southgate says Liverpool and Tottenham have made his preparation for the Nations League competition more complicated but says it is a great opportunity for younger players
Celebrate football coming ho-ho-home in this Gareth Southgate

---

Leicester 3 Fulham 1 live on talkSPORT 2: Free stream and full coverage of 3pm Premier League clash All the information you need to catch the Premier League clash Ayite cancels out Tielemans
Free stream and full coverage of 3pm Premier League clash
sportsalert.org/2019/03/09/free-stream-and-full-coverage-of-3pm-premier-league-clash/
Leicester vs Fulham : How to listen. Full commentary from the East Midlands will be live on talkSPORT 2, with our coverage getting underway at 12pm. Russ Williams will bring you the build-up with John Motson and Alvin Martin on commentary duty and to tune in click below or here for the live commentary stream.
West Ham vs Leicester live on talkSPORT 2: Full commentary

---

Harry Kane will return to lead the line for Spurs on Sunday, Everton 1-1 Tottenham. Spurs are the only team yet to draw in the league this season - indeed one more game without sharing the
Tottenham team confirmed vs Burnley: Harry Kane starts on

---

Newcastle United 3-1 Southampton: Ayoze Perez treble helps Rafael Benitez's men get past struggling Saints Saturday, 20 April 2019 Ayoze Perez netted his first hat-trick as a Newcastle player as the Magpies went ten points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory at home to Southampton.
Newcastle United 3-1 Southampton: Ayoze Perez t

---

Harry Redknapp reveals Chelsea fans sang 'Thursday night

---

Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United: Gunners leapfrog Tottenham and Manchester United with victory over Magpies at Emirates Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette netted the goals for Unai Emery's side to
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United: Gunners leapfrog Tottenham and

---

German football legend Lothar Matthaus says Manchester City could play a second-string side against Schalke and still reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Raheem Sterling's 90th-minute
Manchester City could play second string eleven and still
sportsalert.org/2019/03/12/manchester-city-could-play-second-string-eleven-and-still-beat-schalke-in-champions-league-says-lothar-matthaus/
Easy The 1990 World Cup winner believes City will thrash Schalke in their Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday, but Pep Guardiola disagrees German football legend Lothar Matthaus says Manchester City could play a second-string side against Schalke and still reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Manchester City could play second string side and still beat

---

Chelsea transfer news: Olivier Giroud signs contract extension with Blues. The France striker has enjoyed a productive spell at Stamford Bridge since joining in January 2018 and is the joint-top
Olivier Giroud makes decision over his Chelsea future after

---

~ Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur fined for failing to control their players in north London derby ~ Kenya Latest Fan makes the 'mistake' of dissing Akothee's
Tottenham fans appraise Davinson Sanchez's performance vs

---

Women's football has a problem with racist and homophobic abuse, West Ham United Women star Claire Rafferty has told talkSPORT. The former Chelsea and England ace says the problem exists at 'all levels of football', and she's urged the Football Association and clubs to take more responsibility when it comes to educating players.
Post Match Thread - Watford 2-1 Arsenal (PL) : Gunners

---

Scotland 2-1 Cyprus: Andy Robertson scores screamer as Scots edge to victory in Steve Clarke's first game in charge by Stephan Uersfeld 4 hours ago 4 hours ago 0 0

---

Tottenham new stadium update: Abseiling ring installed as

---

Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE blog dedicated to the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip. Manchester United wrapped up a deal for Swansea starlet Daniel James last week and will now
Arsenal close on Christopher Nkunku move - Deadline Day

---

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been tipped for the Manchester United job full-time. Former United defender and team-mate of the Norwegian, David May, says the interim boss at Old Trafford should be
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives up on two Man Utd transfer targets

---