Babel defends Gerrard after Diouf's alleged racism rant against former Liverpool skipper

ByEurosport

Updated 16/09/2015 at 11:59 GMT

Ryan Babel has defended Steven Gerrard amid astonishing alleged claims made by El-Hadji Diouf that the former Liverpool captain ‘did not like black people’.

Former Senegal World Cup player El-Hadji Diouf apparently made the claim in an interview with a radio station in Senegal.

Gerrard had in his new autobiography that the former African Player of the Year Diouf was his least favourite signing at Anfield.

Liverpool have rubbished the remarks and Gerrard has denied the claims via his lawyers, and is apparently considering further action after seeking legal advice.

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“The allegations in those statements are completely false and seriously defamatory of our client,” said a statement from his lawyers.

2010-11 Premier League Liverpool's Ryan Babel

Image credit: Reuters

But former team-mate Babel defended Gerrard.

Diouf spent three years at Liverpool after impressing for Senegal at the 2002 World Cup finals.

"We all saw how he made life difficult for Mario Balotelli in Liverpool," Diouf is quoted as telling a radio station Radio Future Media in Senegal, according to the Daily Mail.

El-Hadji Diouf (PA Sport)

Image credit: PA Sport

"I warned him. Liverpool are not a team that welcomes black unless they are British. Otherwise, you have no chance. This is common knowledge.

"Gerrard has never liked black people. 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.’

"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,” Diouf was quoted as saying.

"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."

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