This article is part of The Athletic’s series marking UK Black History Month. To view the whole collection, click here.
Lassana Diarra was preparing for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The midfielder, who had spells with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Portsmouth in the Premier League, was coming off the back of a difficult first season with Real Madrid. That campaign, 2009-10, he had made 30 appearances in all competitions for Manuel Pellegrini’s side as they finished second in La Liga, three points behind Barcelona. They had also crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage against Lyon.
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Keen to put an underwhelming club campaign behind him,
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