Brescia striker Mario Balotelli threatened to walk off the pitch after receiving alleged racist abuse from Hellas Verona fans during the teams’ Serie A meeting on Sunday.
Nine minutes into the second half, Balotelli stopped the game when he picked the ball up and volleyed it into the offending section of the stadium.
He walked behind the goal before the striker’s teammates and opponents convinced him to stay on the field.
Referee Maurizio Mariani stopped the game and a message was read out over the stadium loudspeaker threatening to suspend the match for a longer period if the chants continued.
Mario Balotelli claims he was racially heckled during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Brescia Calcio at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi. Source: Getty Images Europe
Play was on hold for around four minutes before continuing.
However, Verona coach Ivan Juric denied hearing anything offensive from the stands.
“I am not afraid to say there were no racist chants today," Juric told Sky Sport Italia.
"They might have jeered and mocked the great player, but there was nothing there."
“You can ask him, there was nothing there. I am disgusted by racist abuse and I will be the first to condemn it when it happens, but this was not it.
“They provoked him with jeers and sarcastic chants, but they were not racist. Anything else is a lie."
The game finished in a 2-1 victory for Verona, but Balotelli made his mark by scoring a superb strike with five minutes to go.
Referee Maurizio Mariani stopped the game and a message was read out over stadium loudspeakers with threats to suspend the match for a longer period. Source: Getty Images Europe
It was the second time this weekend that a Serie A match has been interrupted because of offensive chants.
AS Roma’s game against Napoli on Saturday was briefly halted because of discriminatory chants from the home supporters about the city of Naples.
With Reuters.
