Romelu Lukaku and his representatives have demanded an apology from Juventus as well as action from the Italian authorities after the striker was subjected to racist abuse last night at Allianz Stadium in Turin during the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final match between Juventus and Inter Milan.
Lukaku scored a 95th-minute penalty to force the match into a 1-1. He later was sent off together with Samir Handanović and Juan Cuadrado following a heated confrontation.
After the match, the striker complained that he was racially abused by a section of the home fans.
According to his agency, Roc Nation Sports International, the 29-year-old was subjected to racist abuse before, during, and after the game.
“The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark wrote in a statement shared on Twitter.
“Romelu scored a penalty in the game. Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse.
“Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.
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The statement further read: “Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus… And I expect the league to condemn the behavior of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.
“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment.”
Lukaku cries foul
The Belgian forward took to social media this afternoon to condemn the abuse and called on the authorities to take action.
He wrote on Facebook: “History repeats… Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again.. I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone…Thank you for the supportive messages….F*ck racism”
