Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 6y

Leonid Mironov's agent calls Rhian Brewster racial abuse claims 'absurd'

LIVERPOOL -- The agent of Leonid Mironov agent has denied claims that the Spartak Moscow youngster racially abused Liverpool's Rhian Brewster.

On Thursday, UEFA charged Mironov, 19, with racist behaviour during Liverpool's UEFA Youth League match with Spartak at Prenton Park.

At the end of the 2-0 win for Steven Gerrard's team, Brewster had to be restrained by teammates and Liverpool staff before the Merseyside club reported to UEFA that they believed the 17-year-old was subject to racial abuse.

Mironov's representative, Tomas Zorn, told ESPN FC: "I witnessed the match live. As usual, it was a physical and emotional match for both sides.

"As I know, the concrete situation wasn't really observed, neither by the ref nor by other people besides the two players. Everything that is happening now is built on guesses.

"I spoke to my client after the match and asked him what exactly happened. The truth is that after some physical sportive duels on the pitch, both players exchanged words.

"I can guarantee you that, as far as I know, these words had no racist content."

Zorn added: "Leonid Mironov is the captain of the U19 team and knows that he has a responsibility for the behaviour of his whole team on the pitch and he knows that his behaviour should be exemplary for everybody.

"That's why this whole claim is quite absurd."

Mironov's case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, with a date for the hearing yet to be set.

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