Rodgers team talk to deal with Zenit racists

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will specifically advise his players on handling racist abuse in the Petrovsky Stadium this evening against Zenit St Petersburg, but he expects the authorities to deal with any problems (5pm, live on 3e, ITV4).

In December, a group of the Russian club’s fans published a manifesto calling for homosexuals and non-Europeans to be kept out of the St Petersburg club.

Liverpool, who have already written to Zenit and Uefa about the potential problem, have travelled with three black players — England international Glen Johnson and teenagers Andre Wisdom and Raheem Sterling — in the squad. And although Rodgers will address the issue in team meetings, he expects Uefa, police and the club to take care of matters in the Europa League last-32 first leg tie.