Racist cries during Lazio – Marseille? OM “reserves the right to file a complaint”

“After assuming racist shouts against our players, the club remembers that it strongly condemns any form of discrimination. OM reserves the right to file a complaint should UEFA come to confirm these serious accusations,” the club said on Twitter.

A number of journalists present in Rome after the meeting said that they heard monkey cries from the Lazio Roma fan stand, targeting in particular the Senegalese striker Bamba Deng, who entered during the match.

[#LazioOM] After assuming racist outrages against our players, the club states that it strongly condemns any form of discrimination.

OM reserves the right to file a complaint should UEFA confirm these serious accusations.

– Olympique de Marseille (OM_Officiel) October 21, 2021

In response to a question at a press conference, neither coach Jorge Sampaoli nor goalkeeper Pau Lopez confirmed hearing racist cries. The Argentine replied: “I didn’t hear.”

As for the Spaniard, he explained that he “didn’t realize”. “It is true that when I received the ball, Deng whistled a little, but I don’t think it was done clearly. Cengiz Ander and I, who were Roma players, were whistled this evening as well, I think it was the same way, not differently than that,” he said. .

Lazio, which was notorious for being a fascist Tivosi, has already been punished (fines, closing of stands…) in the past by UEFA and the Italian Federation for the behavior of its supporters.

In mid-September, AC Milan denounced alleged racist cries against French midfielder Timoui Bakayoko, from a strip of Laziale fans.

Lazio even talks about it, they are just waiting for Mussolini to come back!! It’s a big outbreak https://t.co/oFQburIqxK

– 😞 (@mousjr10) September 20 2021

In 2020, the Romanian club was fined €20,000 for racist yells some of its supporters sent to Mario Balotelli during a trip to Brescia. A similar case, in 2016, concerned the Senegalese defender of Naples Kalidou Koulibaly.

Racist incidents are repeated in Italian stadiums: Belgian Romelu Lukaku, Ivorian Frank Kessie, Brazilian Dalbert or England’s Ronaldo Vieira have already been victims, like Frenchman Mike Minnan this season.

A man suspected of making racist insults against the Milan goalkeeper at the end of September has already been identified and will have to respond to incitement to hatred.

Marseille was satisfied 0-0 on the grass in Lazio Roma. Sometimes dominant in the first half but clumsy at the end, and struggling in the second, Marseille have so far not been able to win this season in Europe and stay third in Group E.