'I will not be silent' - Ex-Man Utd player Hannibal Mejbri accuses Preston forward Milutin Osmajic of racially abusing him as Burnley midfielder's complaint causes lengthy delay in Championship clash

The incident, which took place in the second half, led to a temporary stoppage in the match as Mejbri reacted angrily to something allegedly said by the Montenegrin striker. The 22-year-old Tunisian international was visibly emotional as he engaged in a lengthy discussion with referee Andrew Kitchen, demanding action over the alleged abuse. The match officials took note of the complaint, which was subsequently reported during and after the game.

Following the match, Mejbri took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the alleged incident, making it clear that he would not remain silent.

He wrote: "I will not be silent about what happened today. I will always call out racism whenever I hear or see it. That is the only way we change as a sport and a society. I am a strong person but nobody should have to experience this disgusting abuse on the pitch."

Burnley FC quickly addressed the situation and expressed their full support for Mejbri.

"Burnley Football Club is aware of an alleged comment made to Hannibal by Milutin Osmajic during our game against Preston North End which was reported to officials both during and after the game," a statement read.

"During the second-half Hannibal made referee Andrew Kitchen aware of the comment who has registered the complaint. The Club would like to thank the officials for their professional handling of the incident. The Club will continue to show its complete support to Hannibal and there will be no further comment made until the investigation has been completed."

Burnley manager Scott Parker addressed the situation after the game, acknowledging Mejbri’s distress and expressing sympathy for his player.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: "He's hurt. I think everyone could see that at the time, Hannibal's an emotional player and he was visibly very stressed by what was said. I don't want to get into the real details of what was said, I'm sure it'll come out in due course. Hannibal's reported it and is bitterly gutted really so we'll see what happens in the coming days."

On the other hand, Preston released a statement defending Osmajic, insisting that their player had denied the accusations.

"Milutin Osmajic has strongly refuted the claims of a comment made towards Hannibal Mejbri in a post-match meeting with today's match officials," they confirmed.

Despite the denial, club sources revealed to BBC Sport, that a Preston player approached Burnley’s dressing room after full-time to check on Mejbri.

This is not the first time Osmajic has been involved in a controversial incident. In October 2023, the Montenegrin forward received an eight-match ban from the Football Association (FA) for biting Blackburn Rovers’ Owen Beck during a match. He admitted to violent conduct and was subsequently fined £15,000.

The two teams are set to meet again in the FA Cup fifth round on March 1 at Deepdale, adding further tension to an already heated rivalry. The footballing world will be watching closely to see how the authorities handle the allegations against Osmajic and whether any further action will be taken.