Soccer-Balotelli again abused by Juventus fans

Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:14pm BST
 
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ROME, April 22 (Reuters) - Juventus fans again sang chants against Mario Balotelli on Wednesday just four days after racially abusing the Inter Milan striker during a Serie A match, Italian media reported.

Sections of crowd at Turin's Stadio Olimpico briefly chanted "Balotelli son of a .." in Wednesday's Italian Cup semi-final second leg against Lazio, the ANSA news agency said.

Juventus have been ordered to play their May 3 league game at home against Lecce behind closed doors after chants of "a black Italian does not exist" were directed at the 18-year-old.

Balotelli, an Italy under-21 international, was born in Palermo but is of Ghanaian descent.

Other fans in Turin sought to show they are not racist during Wednesday's Cup match, which Juve lost 2-1 to exit 4-2 on aggregate, by expressing their admiration for black footballers Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Juve's own Mohamed Sissoko.

"Davids, Seedorf, Sissoko, true champions, true idols," read a banner.

 

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