Steven Gerrard has fears over whether UEFA will provide a meaningful response to alleged racist abuse of Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has admitted he harbours doubts UEFA will provide a decisive and effective response to the alleged racist abuse of midfielder Glen Kamara.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard with a visibly upset Glen Kamara after the Europa League match against Slavia Prague at Ibrox on Thursday night. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The Finnish international and several of his team-mates were incensed by a comment made in his ear by Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela during the Czech champions’ 2-0 Europa League win at Ibrox on Thursday night.

The incident has been reported to UEFA match delegate Neil Morrow of the Irish FA, while Kudela has subsequently denied saying anything of a racist nature to Kamara.

UEFA will await reports from both Morrow and match referee Orel Grinfeeld of Israel before they decide whether to open disciplinary proceedings. Grinfeeld booked both Kudela and a clearly upset Rangers captain Connor Goldson in the aftermath of the melee which followed.

Gerrard has insisted the incident shouldn’t be ‘swept under the carpet’ but concedes he has worries UEFA will take any meaningful action.

“I have a concern about that, I think time will tell in terms of the outcome,” said Gerrard.

“It’s happening too much. I think there are a lot of people working extremely hard to help and support and to eradicate this through a lot of campaigns. That happens in football and throughout society where a lot of people do a lot of top work.

“But when it keeps happening, it does give you an element of doubt that in the future we will see certain situations happening again.”

Slavia Prague released their own statement backing up Kudela’s denial of racism and also claimed their player was ‘assaulted’ by Kamara in the tunnel after the game, an incident they say was ‘witnessed’ by Gerrard.

“I don’t really bother myself or concern myself with what (statements) other clubs release,” responded Gerrard.

“My priority is for Rangers and you have read the statement we have released. That’s the only thing that is of interest to me.

“We move forward. My focus now is to speak to certain individual players on the back of Thursday night. I need to make sure they are okay, I need to check on their own welfare. After that, I will focus on Sunday’s Old Firm match and prepare the team for that.”

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