Greater Manchester Police have launched an investigation after Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling was allegedly subjected to a racially aggravated assault outside the club's training ground on Saturday.
The 23-year-old is said to have been kicked and racially abused by a man as he arrived at the Etihad Campus ahead of City's Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur. Sterling later scored twice in City's 4-1 victory.
According to reports, Sterling pulled up in his car at the entrance to the training complex, where a man hurled abuse at him. Sterling got out of his car to confront the individual and was kicked in the leg.
A complaint has now been made by the player, and police are treating the incident as a hate crime. Manchester City have declined to comment but are understood to be supporting the investigation and providing CCTV footage.
Kick It Out, football's equality and inclusion organisation, has offered its support to Sterling, stating that verbal and physical assaults of a racist nature are completely unacceptable and should not go unchallenged.
