Italian Championship: Mike Maignan and Fikayo Tomori targeted by racist insults
Tensions appeared on the Cagliari field after the end of the match against AC Milan (0-1) on Saturday, arose from racist insults aimed at Milan players Mike Maignan and Fikayo Tomori, according to the coach of the Rossoneri. “When hot, Mike told me that it was not possible to hear certain insults. It’s the first time he reacts like this, so something serious happened. Some things don’t have to happen anymore. Tomori told me the same thing, ”said Stefano Pioli on DAZN, asked to confirm these racist insults mentioned by several Italian media. “Maignan informed me that he was targeted by insults coming from behind his goal, nobody deserves this type of insult,” added the coach on the other channel broadcasting the match in Italy, Sky Sport.
In Cagliari, this Saturday, Tomori and Maignan appeared particularly angry after the final whistle, in a confused end to the match, and seemed to be addressing spectators. These incidents come as the 30th day of Serie A was placed under the sign of the fight against racism. All the players wore an anti-racist message from the Italian Football League on one sleeve of their jersey.
Cagliari supporters are repeat offenders
The return of spectators to the stands this season, after a year of matches behind closed doors due to the pandemic, has been accompanied by the return of racist incidents in Italy. Maignan, in particular, has already been the target of racist insults at the start of the season during a match in Turin against Juventus. He then spoke on his twitter account. « What do you want me to say? » That racism is bad and that these supporters are stupid? It is not about that, had explained the lining of Hugo Lloris at the Blues. I’m neither the first nor the last player this will happen to. Until these events are treated as “isolated incidents” and there is no global action, history is bound to repeat itself, again and again and again. »
It is also not the first time that Cagliari supporters have been embroiled in acts of discrimination. The club had already had to ban three of its fans from the stadium in February 2020. Other spectators had launched monkey cries at Romelu Lukaku, then Inter striker, in 2019.
