Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti says it is time to say "Enough" to racism and hatred in soccer following incidents before and during his team's 1-0 win over Napoli.
Inter fans made animal noises and racist chants at Napoli's Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly during the match on Wednesday, while one fan was killed when he was hit by a car during a violent clash near the stadium before kickoff.
Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, right, leaves after receiving a red card, after he was racially abused at length by fans.Credit:Luca Bruno
Juventus star Christino Ronaldo joined other coaches in condemning the incidents, although the latter had differing opinions on how to stop the problem.
Ronaldo posted on Instagram: "No to racism and to any sort of insult and discrimination."
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Inter, who visit Empoli on Saturday, have been ordered to play their next two home games behind closed doors because of the incidents involving Koulibaly.
"I condemn [what happened] with no ifs and buts," Spalletti told a news conference.
"It's the moment to say 'Enough' to hatred in football, 'Enough' to racism and any form of discrimination in the stadium," he said.
"'Enough' to those who celebrate the Heysel or Superga disasters," he added, referring to the Brussels tragedy in which 39 people, mostly Juventus fans, died in 1985, and the 1949 air crash where Torino players and officials were among the 31 dead.
"'Enough' to jeering a coach or a player for 90 minutes… 'Enough' to hatred in football in general. That is the main thing."
Spalletti said Inter were "with Koulibaly, as we are at the side of all those who are targeted during the games".
"It's very disappointing not to play in front of our own crowd but, if it's the price we have to pay to win this battle, we'll do it willingly," he added.
AS Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco agrees with Napoli's Carlo Ancelotti, who said on Wednesday that his team will walk off the pitch if there is a repeat of the incident.
"I fully agree with what he says," he said.
"If the state cannot deal with the problem, then it is up to us to give an important response."
AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso also agreed with Ancelotti, saying coaches need to have the courage and make a stand.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, however, does not believe that stopping matches is the answer.
"We need to educate children when they start school," he said.
"And we, presidents, coaches and players, need to be aware that our words carry weight and influence people. We must be more responsible."
Meantime, UEFA are "very concerned" by what they see as the failure to follow guidelines for dealing with racist chanting.
In a joint statement with FIFPro, the organisation which represents professional footballers worldwide, UEFA questioned the apparent "failure to respect the widely-recognised three-step anti-racism protocol" and also urged the Italian football authorities to do all they can to clamp down on racist abuse in stadiums.
Under the three-step process, the referee can, in the event of racist chanting, first halt the match and ask for an announcement to be made over the tannoy for it to stop.
If it continues, the referee can suspend the match, request another announcement and wait for the chanting to stop. If it still persists, the referee can, as a last resort, abandon the match.
The Italian Football Federation have ordered Inter to play two Serie A games behind closed doors and a third without the section of their San Siro home generally filled with the hardcore 'ultras', but that punishment has been criticised as too lenient by anti-discrimination group Fare.
UEFA and FIFPro said they welcomed the "prompt actions" taken by the FIGC, but added: "(We) are very concerned by this unacceptable racist incident and by what appears on the surface to be a failure to respect the widely-recognised three- step anti-racism protocol.
"Koulibaly, a French-Senegalese defender, was subject to racist chanting and, despite announcements made by the stadium speaker, the chants did not stop. Moreover, it seems that Napoli's coaching staff had already informed the referee several times of racist chants.
"Both organisations are of the opinion that the racist chants towards Koulibaly, who had to leave the pitch after receiving a second yellow card, are unacceptable and have no place in football.
"FIFPro and UEFA support the Italian football authorities on any additional measure that will be taken to tackle racism in stadia for which FIFPro and UEFA have a zero-tolerance policy."
Reuters, AAP
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