FORMER Wanderers defender Marcos Alonso says he is stopped taking the knee before games because he feels the anti-racism gesture is “losing a bit of strength”.

The one-time Real Madrid defender, now at Chelsea, has now elected to point to the ‘No to Racism’ badge which is embroidered on all Premier League shirts.

It follows Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha’s decision to stop taking the knee before kick-off, with the former Manchester United man referring to the gesture as “degrading”.

Alonso insists he is keen to show his distain for racism but is choosing a different way to display it.

"I am fully against racism and I'm against every type of discrimination," he said.

"I just prefer to put my finger to the badge where it says No To Racism, like they do in some other sports and football in other countries.

"I prefer to do it this way and, of course, to say very clearly that I am against racism and I respect everybody."

Wanderers have publicly backed their players’ decision to take the knee before games, with chairman Sharon Brittan saying it sent a “powerful message” and Bolton skipper Antoni Sarcevic appealing for those who did not agree with the gesture to “bite their tongue” during games.

Premier League clubs first adopted the gesture in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement last summer but some critics claim it is a politically charged action.

Alonso, who spent three years with Wanderers between 2010 and 2013 before leaving for Fiorentia, says he is comfortable taking a different course.

"I just prefer to do it this way. It's my way to do it, and maybe I think it's losing a bit of strength the other way,” he said.

"So I just prefer to do it this way and to show I am fully supportive of fighting against racism.

"For now, I prefer to point to the sleeve and that's what I will do."

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says the matter has been discussed in-house and that he is happy Alonso has made his choice for the right reasons.

"It wasn't a discussion within the group but of course if a player takes a decision like this, we are not in a bubble, so of course discussions come up," said the Blues boss.

"The most important thing for me is that I know Marcos and I trust 1,000 per cent that he is absolutely committed against any form of racism, there is no question about it. We are all against it.

"We took all together the decision to take the knee, maybe it takes sometimes also an action against a routine to wake up again and to have another good discussion.

"The discussion can only be in one direction because we all have the same point - we want to do the most against racism and stand up against it.

"Marcos took his decision. He is a grown up, a responsible person and it is his decision. We accept it.

"Once you do it so often, because there are so many games, that it becomes normal and then maybe it lowers the effect of it. If this is his point, I can see his point."