Burnley players refused to shake hands with Preston striker Milutin Osmajic before their FA Cup tie, stemming from an alleged racial abuse incident. Osmajic was accused of racially abusing Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri during a prior Championship match, which he strongly denied. While Osmajic played and scored in the match, Burnley left Mejbri out to protect him from the spotlight, according to manager Scott Parker. The tensions escalated during the pre-match handshakes, emphasizing the charged atmosphere surrounding the game and the ongoing racism discussions in football.
Prior to the match, none of the Burnley players offered their hands to Osmajic, showcasing a stance against the alleged racism incident from February.
Burnley manager Scott Parker stated, "I need to protect Hannibal and making sure of the right decision... it has been a tough decision..."
Osmajic responded to the pre-match tension by taunting Burnley fans after scoring to put Preston 2-0 up, emphasizing the charged atmosphere.
Parker acknowledged, "Hannibal was selectable today... but I just made that decision to keep him out of here..."
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