21 best Champions League players of the season - ranked

Football on TV in India: Matches to watch & live stream

How Dortmund defied the odds to reach the UCL final

Claim Your Exclusive 1xBet Promo Code 2024: 1GOALIN for ₹66,000

Bellingham & the best debut seasons at Real Madrid - ranked

Bayern & Kompany plot bid for £35m Arsenal star

Man City battle Barca for Bayern star as Guardiola eyes reunion

'Leave it to me' - Neymar's vow after Al-Hilal win King's Cup

Madrid are inevitable! Carvajal & Vini Jr the UCL heroes

Inter Miami issue Messi injury update for St Louis City

CR7 loses record! Piece of goalscoring history snatched away

USWNT ratings: Swanson and Davidson open Hayes era in style

CR7 loses another trophy! Al-Hilal win chaotic King's Cup final

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>James had apparently stamped Walti </li><li>Faced severe online flak for the incident </li><li>Walti came out in defence of England international </li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘I can’t look away’ - Arsenal star Lia Walti defends Lauren James after stamp incident which saw ‘disgusting’ abuse hurled at Chelsea forward following WSL loss

The Chelsea forward found herself in the eye of controversy after <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-in/lists/lauren-james-calm-down-lionesses-chelsea-petulance-overshadow-remarkable-talent/blt4def005f17fe70a6" target="_blank">she dragged her boot down the midfielder's shin and onto Walti's foot</a> during their<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/emma-hayes-admits-chelsea-bullied-by-arsenal-jonas-eidevall-reacts-lauren-james-stamp/blt4dea6de39c722514" target="_blank"> league defeat to the Gunners</a> last weekend. Chelsea coach, Emma Hayes, immediately took her off after she was warned by the referee as it was clear that the frustration was getting the better of her with the Blues being outplayed by their opponents.In the aftermath of the defeat, James had to face several online abuse and Hayes even claimed that the forward was "racially profiled," by both fans and "the media."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Swiss international came out in defence of her colleague and wrote on X: "I initially didn't want to say anything, but I can't look away. I absolutely can't stand any sort of abuse - online abuse and any other sort of discrimination are disgusting. No one gets better by putting others down!!!"

WHAT LIA WALTI SAID

James has been in incredible form this campaign and earned the Women's Super League (WSL) Player of the Month award for November. In the current season, she stands as the joint-second top scorer in the league, netting six goals in eight matches. With significant contributions to both Chelsea and the national team, James has become an indispensable figure. But the online abuse has impacted her and Hayes drew parallels between <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/chelsea-emma-hayes-racially-profiling-lauren-james-david-beckham-1998-world-cup-red-card/bltc94311ff8fcfcfba#csa477a06d07c6df5d" target="_blank">James' situation and David Beckham's experience in 1998 </a>when he faced criticism for a red card against Argentina in the World Cup, for kicking Diego Simeone, which dearly cost the Three Lions.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

James' mental health has suffered due to the barrage of online trolling and it remains to be seen if Hayes puts her in the starting XI Hacken in the Champions League on Thursday. A bit of rest should do her good and could return to action this weekend against Bristol City on Sunday.

WHAT NEXT?

‘I can’t look away’ - Arsenal star Lia Walti defends Lauren James after stamp incident which saw ‘disgusting’ abuse hurled at Chelsea forward following WSL loss | Goal.com India

Arsenal star Lia Walti has defended Lauren James after her stamp during the WSL derby, which led to vile abuse being directed at the Chelsea forward.