Merseyside Derby Racism Row: Firmino’s Case To Be Strengthened By Referee Bobby Madley

Liverpool’s Brazilian star Roberto Firmino could yet breathe a huge sign of relief in the racism row he is currently involved with alongside Everton defender Mason Holgate.

Holgate and Firmino squared up to each other during last Friday’s Merseyside Derby clash in the FA Cup with the latter levelling racism allegations against the former TSG Hoffenheim of Germany star.

His defence against the aforementioned allegations could be fuelled by the fact that centre referee Bobby Madley didn’t hear Firmino use offensive language against Holgate.

The FA have already launched investigation into the accusation made by Holgate after the heated FA Cup clash.

Both players and match officials will also be interviewed as part of the investigation.

According to Sportsmail, Bobby Madley revealed in his report that he didn’t hear Firmino use racist language and that could be very important since he was positioned between the two players at the time of the incident.

The incident came about when Firmino was visibly upset after being pushed into the advertising hoardings by Holgate, with TV evidence leading lip-reading experts to claim the Brazilian appeared to say: “Es maluco, filho da puta?’ meaning: “Are you crazy, you son of a b***h?”

Holgate thereafter reacted angrily to something Firmino seemed to say with the Everton defender complaining to referee Madley after the game that the Liverpool player had used the word ‘negro’.