Handshake to stay for London derby

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore has revealed there are no plans to scrap the pre-match handshake for the clash between Chelsea and QPR.

Chelsea captain John Terry faces a criminal trial in July after allegedly racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand when the two teams clashed earlier in the season and speculation had suggested the ritual may well be removed for the two sides’ re-match on April 29.

The two London teams clashed in the FA Cup in January but avoided shaking hands when the Football Association decided to scrap it after rumours emerged that the entire QPR team would ignore Terry.

However Scudamore is keen for the players to see out the formalities before their next date.

“It’s not a handshake that says everybody loves everybody else. It’s a handshake that says, ‘For the next 90 minutes, let’s just play a game of football,'” Scudamore said.

“It’s nothing more symbolic than that, which is why in our view they should continue. Period.”