Barcelona Star Transforms Racist Banana Taunt Into Empowering Anti-Racism Moment

Sergio Aguero and Neymar amongst Dani Alves' supporters after banana-throwing incident during Barcelona win

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has received support from Premier League players including Sergio Aguero, David Luiz, Oscar, Willian, Nacer Chadli and Moussa Dembele following his reaction to a banana being thrown in his direction by a Villarreal supporter during a La Liga game on Sunday.

The Brazil international picked up the banana and took a bite before playing a key role as Barca fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 to keep their hopes of retaining the Primera Division alive.

Following the game Alves was backed by team-mate Neymar who posted a picture of himself with a banana alongside the hashtag 'We are all monkeys', while his girlfriend Thaissa Carvalho also took a photo of herself among a group of friends eating bananas.

 

Dani Alves EATS a banana thrown by fans

Countrymen: Chelsea's Brazilian stars Oscar, David Luiz and Willian had their say on the incident

Protest: Neymar (left) and Alves' girlfriend (right) posted pictures of themselves with bananas after the match

Full support: Sergio Aguero and Marta show their solidarity for Alves by eating bananas

Campaign: Television presenter Marilo Montero also joined in the backing for Alves

Spontaneous: Montero produced a banana on television in support of Alves

Getting stuck in: Tottenham's Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli in the Tottenham canteen

From Russia with love: Zenit St. Petersburg's Hulk was another to join in the fight

We're all the same: Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez show their support for Alves with the banana protest

Tired of bigotry: Arsenal full back Bacary Sagna relaxes with a banana in support of Alves

Taking a bite out of it: Fernandinho and his son posted this picture

On Monday the backing for Alves continued with a Spanish television presenter eating a banana and proclaiming 'I'm also a monkey'.

 

And Manchester City striker Aguero posted a picture on Twitter alongside five-time FIFA World Player of the Year Marta saying 'No to racism. We are all equal'.

Chelsea trio Oscar, David Luiz and Willian posted a short video on Luiz's Instagram account including the hashtag 'zero discrimination'.

Later, Tottenham duo Mousa Dembele and Nacer Chadli and Brazil international Hulk also posted pictures as they joined the campaign alongside others who used social media to speak out against the incident.

Barcelona released a statement condemning the incident and urged other clubs to continue fighting in order to eradicate racism from football. 

'FC Barcelona would like to underline the civil, cultural, social and sporting importance of two messages which UEFA remind us of before every game: Respect and No to Racism.

Midfield maestro: Manchester City star Yaya Toure shows his support for Alves on Twitter

Heayweight: Boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko wrote a message on his banana

 

Luiz, Oscar and Willian show support for Brazil team-mate Dani...

Backing: Italian premier Matteo Renzi (left) and the Italian national team coach Cesare Prandelli share a banana in solidarity for Dani Alves

Together: Prandelli (right) is the latest sporting personality to show his support for Alves

'FC Barcelona wishes to express its complete support and solidarity with our first team player Dani Alves, following the insults he was subject to from a section of the crowd at El Madrigal on Sunday during the game against Villarreal. FC Barcelona accepts that the perpetrators of these insults are in no way connected to Villarreal and we value very positively the support the club offered to our player.

'The club’s immediate condemnation of the incidents is a step in the right direction to firstly isolate and then eradicate completely from the sporting arena this kind of behaviour.

'FC Barcelona reiterates its support for UEFA’s message of Respect and No to Racism and urges all clubs to continue fighting against the blight on the game which any kind of aggression against a sportsperson on the basis of their race represents.'

Alves made light of the incident following the game, saying 'I don't know who threw the banana but I want to thank him. It gave me the energy to put two more crosses in for our goals.'

He later added: 'We have suffered this in Spain for some time. You have to take it with a dose of humour. We aren't going to change things easily. If you don't give it importance, they don't achieve their objective.'

Alves has often been subjected to racist taunts and called fighting racism 'a lost war' in January 2013, after segments of Real Madrid's fans abused him with monkey chants during a match.

Spotted: Alves notices the banana that has been thrown on to the pitch

Disposal: Alves clears the pitch as he prepares to take a corner for Barcelona

Feeling peckish: The Brazil international decides to tuck in to the banana

Break in play: Alves later credited the banana with giving him the energy to help Barca beat Villarreal

PREGNANT WOMAN SHOT IN THE BELLY...

Shocking moment pregnant woman was shot in the belly over Facebook post – killing her unborn baby

• The unidentified pregnant victim went to suspect Virginia Wyche's home to confront her about an argument they had over Facebook
• The argument became physical, at which point Wyche allegedly shot the victim in the stomach
• Sadly, the victim's baby did not survive
• A pregnant Florida woman has lost her baby after she was shot in the stomach earlier this week, allegedly by a woman with whom she'd been feuding on Facebook.

Police were called the scene - in the 9100 block of Castle Boulevard in Jacksonville - about noon Wednesday after there was a report of an argument and a shooting.

Video after the shooting by neighbor Christopher Cash shows the victim slumped in a chair as neighbors rush to help her. It also shows the suspect, 35-year-old Virginia Wyche, being taken into custody.

Victim: The unidentified pregnant victim slumped into a chair after she was shot in the stomach. Her baby didn't survive

Suspect: Virginia Wyche and the victim had a disagreement over Facebook, which led to a fight during which Wyche allegedly shot the victim in the stomach

The unidentified victim was taken to a local hospital and survived. Her unborn baby was pronounced dead 

'They were arguing out front, something about Facebook. I walked out and just heard a pop,' Cash told WTEV. 

Witnesses say the two women got into an argument on Facebook Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the victim went to Wyche's house to confront her about the disagreement.

Tragic: It's unclear what prompted the disagreement between Wyche (pictured) and the pregnant victim

Crime scene: The pregnant victim went to Wythe's home (pictured) to confront her about the Facebook argument

The argument turned physical, and that's when Wyche allegedly shot the pregnant victim. 

'I know the victim was definitely shot in the abdomen. That's the one gun shot that I know of. That's why the consideration and concern for the unborn child's health,' Jacksonville Sgt. Michael Paul told News4Jax.com before it was learned that the baby had died.

The suspect's mother, Lillian Jordan, told the station she is as confused as everyone else about what led up to the shooting at her home.

'My son called me and I was very disturbed about this because this is not the way I was raised, and they (were) not raised like this,' Jordan told reporters. 'Somebody had to provoke my child ... to do what she (did). I don't know if she was trying to defend herself, or if they (were) trying to jump on my child, I can't say.'

Wyche was booked into jail on one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Investigators say they will continue to look into whether the suspect shot the victim in self-defense.

David Moyes SACKED! Ryan Giggs installed as interim manager

David Moyes SACKED! Chief Woodward delivers news to failed Man United boss in early morning Carrington meeting with Ryan Giggs to take charge until end of season

• Moyes thanked Carrington staff after learning his fate
• Chief executive Ed Woodward delivered news to Moyes face-to-face
• Club thanks Moyes for 'hard work, honesty and integrity' 
• Glazer family lost patience after dismal season at home and abroad
• Final straw came in Sunday's miserable 2-0 defeat at old club Everton
• United are seventh in Premier League, 13 points off fourth place
• Holland coach Van Gaal lined up as replacement
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David Moyes has been sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect.

Chief executive Ed Woodward arrived at Carrington at 8am on Tuesday morning to inform the Scot face-to-face of the news.

Moyes had already been informed of his fate and thanked club staff at the training complex in anticipation of his departure. The players were not present at the time. 

A tweet on the club's official Twitter account read: 'BREAKING: Manchester United announces that David Moyes has left the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role.'

Ryan Giggs will take temporary charge for the rest of the season as interim manager. 

It emerged on Monday that United's owners, the Glazer family, had lost patience with Moyes after a dismal season that has seen the reigning Barclays Premier League champions slump to seventh in the table.

The final straw was Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton, their 11th in the Barclays Premier League this season, and a result that left the title holders 13 points off the Champions League places.

End of the line: David Moyes has been sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect

Saying goodbye: United's owners, the Glazer family, lost patience with Moyes after a string of bad results

Confirmation: Manchester United released a short statement on Twitter

Arrival: Ryan Giggs, who will take temporary charge until the end of the season, arrives at Carrington on Tuesday morning

Early morning meeting: United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward delivered the news face-to-face on Tuesday morning

Searching for inspiration: Moyes has found it impossible to maintain the high standards set by predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson

Bright beginnings: Moyes started work at Old Trafford on July 1 last summer, having been announced as Ferguson's replacement in May

 

VIDEO COMPILATION of Moyes' despondent post-loss pressers

DAVID MOYES AT UNITED

Played 51
Won 27
Drawn 9
Lost 15
Win percentage 52.94

United are confident of landing Holland coach Louis van Gaal as his replacement once they have tied up details of the manager's severance package. 

The Barclays Premier League champions have already made contact with the Dutchman and he wants to join United after the World Cup.

Moyes has been sacked having not even completed one year of a six-year contract and will receive a hefty compensation package.

The Scot, on a day off on Monday, is understood to have been hurt and angry after learning of his fate on newspaper websites.

Meet the new boss: Moyes gets to work on his first morning as United manager at the club's Carrington training complex

Backing: Supporters on the Stretford End commissioned a banner proclaiming Moyes as the 'Chosen One'

Good start: Moyes lifts the Community Shield after United beat Wigan 2-0 at Wembley back in August. It was his only piece of silverware with the club

Winning start: United won 4-1 at Swansea City on the opening day of the season, getting their title defence off to the perfect start

Warm reception: Moyes is introduced to the Old Trafford crowd prior to his first home game against Chelsea

UNITED'S REMAINING MATCHES

April 26 Norwich City (H)
May 3 Sunderland (H)
May 6 Hull City (H)
May 11 Southampton (A)

Despite the expensive signings of Marouane Fellaini last summer and Juan Mata in January, United have failed to keep pace with their rivals and mount any kind of title challenge.

Moyes, who moved from Everton last summer to replace Sir Alex Ferguson, has also overseen failure in the cup competitions.

United were eliminated by Swansea City in the third round of the FA Cup, by Sunderland in the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup and by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Taking all competitions into account, United have won 27 of 51 matches during the Moyes tenure, drawing nine and losing 15.

 

Watch the moment the 'Moyes Out' banner flew above Old Trafford

Taste of defeat: Moyes suffered his first league loss at Anfield as a Daniel Sturridge goal gave Liverpool a 1-0 win on September 1

Down to work: Moyes leads a training session at Carrington ahead of his first Champions League match with United back in September

Euro stars: United beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 at Old Trafford in their opening Champions League fixture of the season

Nightmare: The scale of Moyes's task at Old Trafford became apparent in the 4-1 defeat at rivals Manchester City on September 24

Bad to worse: Moyes can't believe his misfortune as United are beaten at home by West Bromwich on September 28

 

 

Pressure mounted further on the embattled manager following a lacklustre showing at Goodison Park, in which United transfer target Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas scored the goals.

Moyes bizarrely claimed that his team had played well after they lost 2-0 at Everton despite one of the most lame performances of his reign.

Many United fans saw the performance as a tipping point and the increasing number who were calling for him to go have got their wish.

Afterwards, Moyes — who was taunted by a man dressed as the Grim Reaper in the crowd — claimed he was happy with the display.

He said: ‘We played well in the first half but conceded two on the counter-attack. We didn’t deserve to be 2-0 down. We had good control of the game and possession of the ball. We didn’t defend well for the goals, though. That was right rotten.’

Hilarious '#MOYESIN #MOYESOUT' rap battle by Dan Bull

Masterstroke: Moyes did persuade star striker Wayne Rooney to turn down the overtures of Chelsea and sign a new contract

Revenge: United knocked Liverpool out of the Capital One Cup at the third round stage, offering swift retribution for the Anfield loss

Passion play: Moyes celebrates Javier Hernandez's goal as United beat Stoke City 3-2 at Old Trafford

Low point: Moyes sits and considers his options as United lose 1-0 to his former club Everton on December 4

Moyes’s verdict raised eyebrows in the Sky Sports studio.

‘That’s the worst I’ve seen from them over 90 minutes,’ said pundit and Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher.

‘Nobody seems to know what’s going on, on the pitch or in the dugout. You can’t see what the plan is. When I played it was total dominance from Manchester United. I’m looking at this team and wondering why they didn’t play like that when I was playing.’

Moyes was even criticised on the club's in-house TV channel when pundit David May said he was 'out of his depth' before being hushed up by the presenter.

Row: Moyes grabs the ball from Hatem Ben Arfa as Alan Pardew looks on during December's 1-0 home loss to Newcastle United

Race is on: Moyes runs along the touchline to retrieve the ball during United's New Year's Day loss to Tottenham

Protest: Moyes runs on to the pitch to appeal after a blatant handball is not given in the Tottenham match

No luck: Moyes rues a missed chance as United slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final

Out: With coach Phil Neville after United were knocked out of the Capital One Cup on penalties by Sunderland

January sales: Moyes bought Juan Mata from Chelsea for £37m in a bid to revive the flagging season

Nadir: United produced their most miserable performance of the season as they were beaten 2-0 by Olympiacos in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie

The great turnaround: But a Robin van Persie hat-trick gave United a 3-0 win at Old Trafford and took them through to a last eight encounter with Bayern Munich

Anger: A fan remonstrates with Moyes during the 3-0 home defeat by Manchester City

Guarded: Stewards protect the 'Chosen one' banner on the Stretford End at the end of the City defeat

Stunt: Disgruntled United fans paid for this plane to fly over the ground during a home match with Aston Villa. The plane's appearance was roundly booed by United fans in the ground

TIMELINE OF MOYES'S TENURE AT OLD TRAFFORD

September 1 - United suffer first defeat under Moyes as Daniel Sturridge gives Liverpool victory at Anfield. Wayne Rooney misses the game with a nasty head wound after being kicked in the head accidentally by Phil Jones in training.
September 22 - Hammered 4-1 at Manchester City. This time Robin van Persie is absent with a thigh injury.
September 28 - United lose 2-1 at home to West Brom, ending the Baggies' 35-year wait for an Old Trafford triumph.
October 19 - Concede last-minute Adam Lallana equaliser against Southampton at Old Trafford.
December 4 - Bryan Oviedo scores four minutes from time as Moyes' former club Everton end their 21-year wait for an away win over United.
December 6 - Rio Ferdinand criticises Moyes' policy of leaving it late to pick his teams, claiming on BT Sport: "It turns you into a madman."
December 7 - Yohan Cabaye gets the only goal as Newcastle win at Old Trafford for the first time since 1972.
December 10 - Van Persie suffers thigh injury taking a corner against Shakhtar Donetsk, and is ruled out for seven weeks.
January 1 - Rooney plays in the defeat by Tottenham but is then ruled out for four weeks with a groin injury.
January 5 - Swansea win at Old Trafford for the first time as Wilfried Bony's late goal sends United out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage for only the second time in 30 years.
January 7 - Defeat in Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Sunderland means a third straight loss for the first time since May 2001.
January 19 - Skipper Nemanja Vidic is sent off as United crash to defeat at Chelsea.
January 22 - United beat Sunderland 2-1 in the Capital One Cup semi-final return leg thanks to Javier Hernandez's last-gasp effort in extra-time but come off worst in an awful penalty shoot-out, with only Darren Fletcher scoring from their five kicks.
February 1 - Stoke end their long wait for a win against United. Charlie Adam's double gives them their first since 1984.
February 7 - Vidic confirms he will leave at the end of the season.
February 9 - United come from behind to lead bottom side Fulham at Old Trafford, but Darren Bent's stoppage-time equaliser settles a 2-2 draw to deny the hosts all three points. Moyes describes the result as being "as bad as it gets".
February 25 - It proves gruesome in Greece for United in the Champions League last 16 as a poor performance sees the Red Devils beaten 2-0 by Olympiacos in Piraeus.
March 16 - Another day United will want to forget in a hurry as two Steven Gerrard penalties and a Luis Suarez strike earns Liverpool a crushing 3-0 win at Old Trafford. It could have been even worse for Moyes' men as Gerrard also hit the post with another penalty.
March 25 - United lose 3-0 to bitter rivals for the second consecutive home league game as a brace from Edin Dzeko and a late strike from Yaya Toure hands Manchester City a derby double over their city rivals. The result ensured United were guaranteed to end the season with their lowest points total in Premier League history.
April 9 - Despite an encouraging 1-1 draw in the first leg and taking the lead through Patrice Evra, the Red Devils go down 3-1 to defending champions Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena.
April 20 - Moyes' return to Goodison Park is turned into a nightmare as a Leighton Baines penalty and a goal from Kevin Mirallas hand Everton a 2-0 win, a result which means United cannot qualify for the Champions League.
April 22 - Moyes is sacked by United.

Good display: United produced their best performance of the season in the 1-1 home draw with Bayern Munich

Beyond them: But Bayern came from behind in the second leg in Munich to win 3-1 and knock United out of the Champions League

Waving goodbye: The final straw was United's 2-0 loss at Goodison Park on Sunday