Former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has reacted angrily after ex-teammate El-Hadji Diouf accused him of racism.
According to The Times, the LA Galaxy midfielder is considering whether to sue Diouf after the former Senegal international accused Gerrard of not liking black players.
In his autobiography, Gerrard labelled Diouf the Merseyside club’s worst ever signing, leaving the former Liverpool, Leeds United and Rangers man to make the extraordinary claims.
“We all saw how he made life difficult for Mario Balotelli in Liverpool,” Diouf told Radio Future Media, as reported by The Times.
“I warned him. Liverpool are not a team that welcomes blacks unless they are British. Otherwise, you have no chance. This is common knowledge.
“Gerrard has never liked black people,” Diouf went on to claim. “When I was in Liverpool, I showed him that I was black, I’m not English, but I will not let him walk all over me. All the time I spent there, he never dared to look me in the eye.
“Gerrard is just jealous. What I have done in football, he did not. When I came to Liverpool, I came up with the status of boss and he lives there.
“I am respected in world football, the greatest football experts have appointed me among the seven best players in the World Cup, the top 100 players of the century.
“Several big players do not belong. Everywhere I go out of my country, they worship me. [Gerrard], wherever he goes outside his city of Liverpool, will be insulted.”
Gerrard is understood to be taking legal action over the matter.
Diouf joined Liverpool in a £10m move from Lens in 2002, scoring just three goals in 55 Premier League appearances for the Reds.
The 34-year-old joined Malaysian outfit Sabah in 2014 following a disappointing stint with Leeds United.
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