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Patrick Vieira was right to haul his Manchester City youth side off the pitch after one of his players was allegedly racially abused, says first-team boss Manuel Pellegrini.Vieira stopped the match against NHK Rijeka on their pre-season tour of Croatia after an opposing player allegedly racially abused 19-year-old French midfielder Seko Fofana.

Pellegrini said: “I don’t know too much but if Patrick felt that it was right to take the players off the pitch then that must have been the right thing to do.

“He evaluated the situation and did the right thing. It is impossible to carry on playing when that kind of thing has happened.” Vieira’s Elite Development Side are currently on a 10-day pre-season training camp in Novigrad and they demanded that the match against HNK Rijeka was postponed after the incident.

Fofana was sent off by the referee after being seen to kick out at his opponent but the club have revealed their belief that the midfielder, usually a level-headed young man, was racially abused moments before he lashed out. The incident took place just before the half-time break.

The decision to postpone the match was a unilateral one taken by the management staff present and Vieira is understood to be unequivocal in his backing of the young player, who is said to have been left deeply distressed by the incident.

A club statement on Tuesday evening read: “Manchester City’s EDS U21 game with HNK Rijeka has today (Tuesday) been cancelled due to an alleged incident of racial abuse toward the club’s young midfielder, Seko Fofana by a member of the opposing team.

“Following an alleged incident in the latter stages of the first half of the game, being played in Novigrad, Croatia, a decision was taken by the management staff to withdraw the City team from the field of play and cancel the game.

“Club representatives in Croatia and in Manchester are liaising with officials, the match organisers and the Croatian Football Association to pursue this matter further.’’ NK Rijeka, however, appear to have distanced themselves from speculation that one of their players made racist comments towards Fofana.

A statement on their website read: “Manchester City coach Patrick Vieira entered the field, something was discussed with the referee, and then to the amazement of a well-filled stadium he took his team off the pitch. What are the reasons? They are known only to him.’’ City are incensed after this became the fourth case of alleged racist abuse directed towards one of their players. — Dailymail