It might be 2023, but unfortunately, some people clearly haven't gotten the memo that racist abuse isn't acceptable. On Tuesday, Inter and Juventus faced off in the Coppa Italia, with a spot in this season's finals at stake.
Given the rivalry between the two teams, such that any match featuring Juventus and Inter is referred to as the "Derby d'Italia" (Derby of Italy), it is only natural that the game would be full of tension from start to finish. However, Tuesday's game took a rather sour note as not only were three players sent off in the late stages, but Romelu Lukaku once again was the target of racist abuse from Juventus supporters.
The Belgian international is no stranger to this, which is quite disturbing given football making a lot of noise about trying to clamp down on racism through various initiatives. Yet, it eventually got to him, as following his converted penalty, he performed a "shut up" gesture to Juventus fans, which led to his dismissal (he had received a yellow card earlier on).
Lukaku is far from the first player to be the target of racist abuse in Italy. As recently as January, French defender Samuel Umtiti, who currently plays for Lecce, was reduced to almost tears due to the nasty behavior of some calcio supporters.
Inter and Roc Nation, the company that represents Lukaku, were quick to release statements in the aftermath, while Juventus finally released one of their own also criticizing the behavior of some of their supporters. It remains to be seen if any actions will be taken by the FIGC and how Lukaku's suspension will impact Inter's upcoming tie against Juventus in the second leg of the Coppa Italia later this month.
