This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
Italian striker Mario Balotelli has been at the center of controversy after standing up to racist abuse from the crowd during a Serie A match between Brescia and Hellas Verona on November 3, 2019.
According to reports, Balotelli kicked the ball into the stand in protest against the monkey noises from the crowd, prompting the referee to halt the game as part of the anti-racism protocol.
Verona's Poltrone Est stand was subsequently closed for one game as punishment, while the head of the Verona ultras was banned for claiming Balotelli was “never completely Italian”.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Brescia fans have criticized Balotelli for not ignoring the opposition fans in a crunch Serie A fixture, and have even defended Verona.
“If Balotelli was not ready psychologically to face the Verona fanbase, then he should’ve said so and left his place to someone less,” said a statement from Brescia ultras.
“None of us would’ve been upset if he had, quite the contrary. We have absolutely no doubts that Balotelli is to all intents Italian, and even a Bresciano, but the arrogance that he continually gives off is unjustifiable.”
After the game, Verona boss Ivan Juric claimed not to have heard any abuse, saying, “You can ask him [Balotelli], there was nothing there. I am disgusted by racist abuse and I will be the first to condemn it when it happens, but this was not it," he said. “They provoked him with jeers and sarcastic chants, but they were not racist. Anything else is a lie.”
