Verona handed partial stadium ban for Balotelli racial abuse

Hellas Verona will have part of its stadium closed for one match as punishment for its fans racially abusing Mario Balotelli.

The Brescia striker threatened to leave the field because of the racist chants directed at him by Verona fans during Sunday’s match, which was suspended for several minutes.

The league says Verona’s “poltrone est” — the sector where the chants came from — will be closed for one match.

The league says the chants “were clearly audible” but adds that there were chants of support and applause from other parts of the ground.

Balotelli, who is black, was born in Italy to Ghanaian immigrants and has represented the Italian national team. He recently returned to Serie A after several seasons in France.