This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
Italian football is once again marred by racism after a disturbing incident involving Brescia striker Mario Balotelli during a Serie A match against Hellas Verona on November 3, 2019.
According to reports, a section of the fans subjected Balotelli to racist slurs, prompting the 28-year-old to stage a field protest, forcing the game to an abrupt halt in the 50th minute.
As seen in a video shared on Twitter, Balotelli was captured kicking the ball into the crowd at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, the large capacity stadium where the match was being played.
Fortunately, the referee intervened promptly, stopping the game after an announcement was made through the public tannoy system. The incident could have escalated into a bigger mess had the referee not acted swiftly.
Despite the setback, Balotelli managed to score a consolation goal, silencing the fans momentarily. However, Brescia ultimately fell to a defeat.
