Moise Kean‘s agent, Mino Raiola, has suggested that Leonardo Bonucci should leave Juventus if the veteran centre-back is “not willing to fight racism”.
The 19-year-old striker was subjected to racist abuse throughout Juventus’s victory at Cagliari on Tuesday and responded by turning to the crowd in celebration with his arms aloft after scoring his side’s second goal in the 85th minute.
Blaise Matuidi appeared to suggest to manager Max Allegri that he should lead his players off the pitch as the monkey howls continued, while captain Giorgio Chiellini immediately protested to the referee. Bonucci, however, claimed that Kean was ”50/50 to blame” for provoking the crowd,.
“If in team/club there are people not willing to fight racism they should be leaving,” Raiola responded.
“Sport has important role in Italian society. There is racism amongst Italians themselves. But again, racism is, by definition, ignorance and ignorant people difficult to talk to.
“Nobody should justify racism in any way. Racism is equal as ignorance. There is no excuse. Italy should be leading on this given how many millions of Italians live abroad. You cannot be racist and Italian. You cannot be human and racist.”
Bonucci issued a belated response to the incident today via social media and said: “Regardless of everything, in any case... No to racism.”
Allegri also criticised Kean’s celebration, claiming the player should not have responded to the crowd.
“He shouldn’t have celebrated in that manner,” Allegri said.
“He is a young man and he has to learn, but certain things from the crowd also shouldn’t be heard.
“You need great intelligence to deal with these situations and should not go to provoke people. That, of course, does not mean the idiots in the crowd and the way they reacted should be justified.
“As always in life, there are idiots who do stupid things and ruin it for everyone else. I don’t think talking about it all the time helps. I don’t think halting play helps, because not everyone in the stadium did that.
“We need to use the cameras, find those who are doing it and punish them. It’s very simple, identify them and not one-year ban or two, just give them a lifetime ban.
“We’ve got the technology, it can be done if the authorities want to. The problem is, they don’t really want to.”
