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Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has defended a controversial gesture made towards fans in Kuala Lumpur, claiming it was a response to personal abuse targeting his mother.
A video circulating on social media captured Amad raising his middle finger outside the team's hotel in Malaysia, prompting widespread commentary online. In a follow-up message on X, the Ivorian international addressed the backlash, stating:
"I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom. I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did. We had a great time in Malaysia with good people."
The club has since backed the player, telling the BBC that the incident was provoked by "serious personal abuse" directed at him. Amad featured as a substitute during United’s 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in Malaysia on Wednesday, a match that concluded with boos from the stands.
United’s pre-season tour moves next to Hong Kong, where they will play a friendly against the national team on Friday. The tour has taken place under a cloud following a dismal season that saw the club finish 15th in the Premier League—its lowest placement in over five decades—and fall short in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, missing out on Champions League qualification.
Manager Ruben Amorim is determined to put the disappointing campaign behind him and is focusing on making the most of the tour’s final fixtures. Speaking at a press conference in Hong Kong, Amorim said:
“We want to give something to the fans, but it’s hard in this moment – we just want to turn the page and improve next season. We cannot hide that it is really tough in this moment for us not to close the season, but if there is one thing that is really important in this club it is that we need to face our fans in this moment, and we need to give something to our fans around the world.”
The club is expected to earn £8 million from the Asian leg of the post-season tour. Despite this financial benefit, the mood within the camp appears strained. Following the Malaysia defeat, Amorim shouldered responsibility for the performance:
“I always feel guilty of the performance of the team since I am here in the first game. I feel guilty, then the boos from the fans, maybe it is something we need because every game that we lost in the Premier League, they were always there."
Several senior players, including Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, and Andre Onana, have departed early for a fan event in India, while Luke Shaw remains sidelined with injury. Amorim confirmed he will rotate his squad for the Hong Kong match:
“I will try to divide because I don’t want all the young kids all together. I will try to mix these things. We want to be competitive. If they are fit, they will play, and we will have the maximum respect for everybody here and for our fans.”
As the season draws to a close, the club looks toward a potentially turbulent summer transfer window with significant squad changes expected. For now, all eyes are on Hong Kong as United aim to end their travels on a more positive note.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / Enrique Guzmán Egas, Instagram / @manchesterunited
