This archive report was first published on 5 December 2019.
On December 5, 2019, Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport sparked outrage with its front-page headline 'Black Friday' ahead of the highly anticipated match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro.
The headline, which featured Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling as the main figures, was widely criticized for its tone-deaf and racially insensitive nature.
Italian journalist Matteo Bonetti condemned the headline, stating, 'Tone deaf, ignorant & with the usual racial undertones. Saying I’m shocked would be a lie at this point.'
AS Roma's English account also shared the cover on social media to express their discontent with the headline.
The incident follows a series of racist incidents in Italian football, including Romelu Lukaku being met with monkey chants during a match at Cagliari earlier in the season.
