Marseille have refuted claims that defender Alvaro Gonzalez racially abused Neymar during Sunday's contentious game against Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar was one of five players sent off in a chaotic finish at the Parc des Princes, where the Ligue 1 champions fell to a shock 1-0 defeat.

A VAR check showed the Brazilian striking Alvaro on the back of the head and he later posted on Twitter to say his only regret was not hitting his opponent in the face after alleging he was subjected to a racial slur.

Alvaro denied the claims with his own post on social media, to which Neymar responded angrily.

PSG subsequently released a statement supporting Neymar and condemning racism.

Marseille responded in turn with a statement of their own, defending Alvaro amid accusations, the club claim, have resulted in the Spanish defender and his family becoming the subjects of online harassment. 

Club statement:

"Olympique de Marseille is proud of yesterday’s competitive victory over Paris Saint-Germain. This victory, obtained in a fair way, was played out on the pitch thanks to the commitment and dedication of our players, who were able to apply a precise strategy and gameplan.

"Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist, as he has shown through his daily behavior since joining the club, and as his team-mates have already confirmed. The Club remains at the disposal of the disciplinary committee to fully cooperate in the investigation of all the events that occurred in the match, and the 24 hours which followed.

"This controversy is serious and has already produced serious consequences. The club condemns the dissemination of the private telephone numbers of Alvaro Gonzalez and his relatives on Brazilian media and social networks overnight, giving rise to constant harassment -- including death threats.

"Olympique de Marseille is the very symbol of anti-racism in French professional sport, given its history and that of the city of Marseille, who's diversity stands firm in the relentless struggle against racism. Its players demonstrate this in their daily commitment on and off the field."