Serie A winner Tiemoue Bakayoko has been stopped at gunpoint by police in Italy, in a terrifying ordeal that turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.
The departing Chelsea midfielder, who was on loan at AC Milan last season, was reportedly pulled over by cops in Milan.
A video re-tweeted by Sport Italia journalist, Tancredi Palmeri, captured the terrifying incident. A policeman pushed the startled footballer, who made 14 Serie A appearances for the triumphant Rossoneri last season, up against a police car.
While he appears to empty Bakayoko’s pockets and throw the contents onto the roof of the police car, two other cops, with guns drawn, point them at the player’s car.
One female cop keeps her gun trained on another occupant of the vehicle.
However, after it became clear to the officers that they have the wrong person, they quickly holster their weapons and console the midfielder with a gentle pat on the back.
‘Shocking footage of Milan’s Bakayoko in Milan’s downtown held at gunpoint by police because it was taken for someone else,’ tweeted Tancredi.
The trending video has seen a lot of reactions from fans, especially blacks, further raising concerns if racism will ever come to an end.
‘Check when one cop goes telling the colleague searching him that it’s not the suspect but a Milan player, and the cop saying “WHO?!?”
Bakayoko made 14 Serie A appearances for AC Milan last season, but only five starts.
Bakayoko set for Marseille move
Bakayoko joined Chelsea in a big-money move in 2017, arriving at Stamford Bridge from Monaco for £40m.
However, despite spending five years at the club, the move has not worked out for the 27-year-old. In his first season, he made 43 appearances across all competitions, but has not played for Chelsea since the 2017-18 season.
Since then, the French international has spent loan spells at AC Milan, Monaco, Napoli and then again at AC Milan, where he won the Serie A title in the last campaign.
On Sunday, French publication Foot Mercato reported that Bakayoko is finally leaving after agreeing a deal with the Ligue 1 club, Marseille.
