Lille sports chief Luis Campos has jumped to the defence of Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
Silva has been suspended for one game by the FA for an offensive social media post aimed at City teammate Benjamin Mendy. Significantly, the FA acknowledged the message was not racist, yet still handed Bernardo the ban.
Campos told O Jogo: "I know both players very well. I was responsible for Mendy going to Monaco. I also dealt with Bernardo for a few years in Monaco. I think it's a great injustice, he can only have been punished by someone who doesn't know what a football team is.
"Bernardo's relationship with Mendy has always been a very special relationship, of true friendship, and seeing today Bernardo punished, frankly, I'm surprised. I'm surprised because I never liked the radicalismos and I think that football does not need radicals. And this is a radical decision that has nothing to do with racism. Therefore, it is an extremely unfair decision."
Campos added: "When you make that decision, you must think about the human being. And in this case, I think Bernardo is a victim of something as strong as racism, because he is punished for something that has nothing to do with it. I condemn racism as much as those who have just punished Bernardo."
