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What is the story?
Super Agent Mino Raiola has come in support and defended his clients Blaise Matuidi and Moise Kean after both were subjected to racist slurs from the Cagliari fans.
In case you didn't know ...
Talented 19-year-old Moise Kean scored the second goal for Juventus in a 2-0 win against Cagliari, his fourth in as many appearances. However, he made the headlines the next day for reasons entirely different than his immense footballing talents.
After being jeered, whistled and booed all evening, Kean reacted to the abuse by standing in front of the Cagliari Ultras with his arms outstretched remaining still as well as silent and just stared at them.
This reaction didn’t go down well with the fans who continued using racial slurs and made disgusting monkey noises mocking the youngster. His teammate Matuidi who previously was the target of racism away at Cagliari a year ago and in this game too was clearly agitated and asked the referee to halt the game.
The heart of the matter
Raiola supported his clients when speaking to Ansa:
"You can't be Italian and racist at the same time. I support Kean and Blaise, racism it's ignorance for me. Nobody should justify it. I am proud of my lads and I will support them until the end.”
The irony is such that the Cagliari captain defended the young man by urging the fans to stop with the abuse but his own captain Leonardo Bonucci said in an interview after the game that Kean should take some blame after celebrating in such a manner that instigated the fans.
These comments have received some serious backlash and Raiola did not hold back in his assessment of the center back's observations of the incident.
"If in team/club there are people not willing to fight racism they should be leaving,”
“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.
What next?
As racism raises its ugly head again, as it has worryingly done over a number of times this season, the fans, players, and everyone that loves the beautiful game will be hoping that strict measures will be taken to fight the disease that is racism.
