Juventus received a one-match partial stadium closure after Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku was subjected to racial abuse.
Romelu Lukaku became a victim of racial attacks on Tuesday during the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals between Juventus and Inter Man at Allianz Stadium in Turin on Tuesday night.
The height of the racial attack was when Lukaku was fouled in Juventus’ eighteen-yard box and won a spot-kick for inter in the late minute of the game. At that point, Juve was leading 1-0.
As Lukaku stepped up to take the spot-kick, some Juventus fans at the lower level of the South Stand at Allianz Stadium, began to make monkey chants at the Belgium striker.
Immediately, the Belgium international converted the spot-kick, he went in front of the stand and placed his finger on his lips as if he was asking the fans to “shut up” as the last-minute spot-kick forced the game to end in a 1-1 draw.
His gesture to the fans infuriated the referee who then showed a second yellow card to Lukaku before he gave the Belgian the marching orders.
After the game, there were a series of backlash against Juventus and their fans. The Serie A club also stressed that racial abuse is not acceptable in the league.
Serie A’s punishment to Juventus and Inter Milan
Since the racial attacks came from the lower level of the South Stand at Allianz Stadium, the Serie A has ordered the closure of the stand for Juventus’ league game against Napoli on April 23.
Along with Lukaku, Inter’s Samir Handanovic, and Juventus’ Juan Cuadrado were both given match bans following a brawl that occurred following the game.
Cuadrado, who scored the goal for Juventus, was given a three-match suspension for striking Handanovic, while the Inter captain earned a one-match suspension for his part in the altercation.
Meanwhile, Italy’s football federation, the FIGC, will mark its anti-discrimination campaign #UnitiDagliStessiColori (#Unitedbythesamecolours) at all levels of the game this weekend.
