Chelsea call on supporters to stop singing anti-Semitic Alvaro Morata chant after win at Leicester

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Chelsea have called on the club’s supporters to refrain from singing an anti-Semitic song in tribute to record signing Alvaro Morata.

Morata opened the scoring for Antonio Conte’s Premier League champions in a 2-1 win at Leicester City on Saturday, notching his third goal for Chelsea since joining from Real Madrid in a £60m deal this summer.

In celebration of Morata’s display, sections of the travelling support at the King Power Stadium were heard to sing: “Alvaro, oh, Alvaro, oh. He came from Real Madrid, he hates the f****** Yids.”

The word ‘Yid’ is a pejorative term used to describe people of the Jewish faith. It has also been used to describe supporters of Chelsea’s rivals Tottenham Hotspur, due to the perception that the north London club has a large Jewish following.

A Chelsea statement issued after the victory read: “The club and the players appreciate the fans’ passionate support away from home but the language in that song is not acceptable at all.

“We have spoken to Alvaro after the game, he does not want to be connected with that song in any way. Both the club and the player request the supporters stop singing that song with immediate effect.”

In 2013, the Football Association warned supporters of all clubs that chanting the word ‘Yid’ could result in arrest as part of an attempt to stamp out discriminatory language at football grounds.

Morata himself did not address the chant in his post-match comments and instead focused on the importance of the victory over Craig Shakespeare’s side.

“It is important to win here,” he told Sky Sports. “Always against Leicester at this stadium it is very difficult to win. We were in a good position at 2-0 but suffered to the end. This is the Premier League.

“I am good but the most important thing is we are not in the first places and we look forward to moving ahead in the table.”