Alejandro Garnacho could face an FA sanction for a social media post that used two gorilla emojis above a picture of Andre Onana. But how long could the Argentinian be banned for?
Garnacho made the post on X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter, in the wake of Onana's injury-time penalty save against Copenhagen in the Champions League.
The post has since been deleted, allegedly upon the player being made aware of the racial connotations. The FA subsequently contacted the 19-year-old for his observations and the winger could be hit with a ban.
Indeed, Garnacho could be charged by the FA for breaching its social media guidelines, should they find that the post was racially sensitive.
That's despite Onana having come out to defend his colleague, insisting the matter should "go no further".
The former United striker Edinson Cavani was banned for three matches and fined £100,000 three years ago for breaching such guidelines after making a post that contained a Spanish phrase that is offensive in some contexts.
Meanwhile, in November 2019 Manchester City's Bernardo Silva was fined £50,000 and received a one-match ban for an "aggravated breach" of the FA's code of conduct.
It came after the midfielder made a tweet comparing the mascot for a Spanish confectionery firm to then-team-mate Benjamin Mendy, seemingly in reference to the player's race.
Mendy wrote to the commission to stress he took the tweet in the spirit intended by Bernardo.
Garnacho has the support of Onana despite a fallout on social media from the post.
Onana defended Garnacho on social media on Thursday, writing: "People cannot choose what I should be offended by.
"I know exactly what Garnacho meant: power & strength. This matter should go no further."
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