Lukaku was racially abused by Juventus fans
Ivorian football legend, Didier Drogba and French star of Cameroonian, Kylian Mbappe have offered public support for Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku who was racially abused by fans of Juventus.
German defender of Ghanaian connection, Jerome Boateng has also shared a message in support of Lukaku.
Romelu Lukaku was sent off following an incident of racist abuse in the Italian Cup semi-final first leg against Juventus.
Lukaku, who scored a 95th-minute penalty to equalize for Inter, was sent off for excessive celebration after Juventus fans chanted racist slurs at the Belgian international.
Roc Nation Sports, Lukaku’s representatives, has called for the Italian authorities to take action against Juventus for the abuse.
“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” the statement read.
Didier Drogba in a tweet described the abuse as stupid and posited that the fans targeted Lukaku because he played well.
“When your talent and strength start hurting them and you’re becoming bigger and better,their stupidity arises”
Kylian Mbappe via his Instagram handle offered support to Lukaku, questioning why black players are still being abused in 2023.
Other players of African connection joined in condemning the actions and offering support for Lukaku who has Congolese connections.
His parent club, Chelsea also tweeted in support of their player while reiterating the opposition to racism.
We‘ll always have your back Rom!
— Jérôme Boateng (@JeromeBoateng) April 5, 2023
F*ck Racism! #Lukaku #SerieA
When your talent and strength starts hurting them and you’re becoming bigger and better , their stupidity arises ???????? @romelulukaku pic.twitter.com/jyCXFyDW50
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) April 5, 2023
Lukaku got a red card for excessive celebrating. This was the celebration.
no surprise Italian football is a joke. pic.twitter.com/5TIKRTZru0
UNBELIEVABLE!
Chief of Italian refs commission Gianluca Rocchi justified the sanction towards Lukaku for “provoking opposite fans” when he actually replied to racist chants.
This is the ultimate shame on #JuveInter.An enormous damage to Serie A image pic.twitter.com/IYtFBCyJhc
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) April 5, 2023
Lukaku speaks out on IG after getting racially abused by some fans during Juve-Inter:
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) April 5, 2023
“History repeats itself. Been through it in 2019.. and 2023 again..”
“I hope the league really takes actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone..”… pic.twitter.com/gHA33b1L5U
Yesterday in European football:
???????? Romelu Lukaku gets sent off for excessive celebration after responding to constant racist abuse from Juventus fans???????? Nico Williams deletes social media after a wave of racist abuse following Athletic Club's elimination from the Copa del Rey pic.twitter.com/bDq2KlVE90
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) April 5, 2023
Never a second yellow. Never a red card. Lukaku silencing fans after we now have video evidence that there were racist chants coming from that end of the stands.
— Matteo Bonetti (@Bonetti) April 5, 2023
This suspension has to be overturned and hopefully Juventus has the means to find those fans and ban them for life https://t.co/ZxKDh2iB9Q
The Black players in the Juve team, like Cuadrado, who pursued the ref and asked him to book Lukaku, are disgraceful.
— Victor Atsu Tamakloe ???????? (@AtsuTamakloe) April 5, 2023
To take the side of the racists fans against their fellow black men just disappoints me, but its Juve we're talking about.
There's little dignity at that club.