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Massimo Cellino, president and owner of Brescia, made a racist statement about Balotelli in a press conference held this Monday, 25th. While he was commenting on the striker's absence from the club's training, he associated the player's undisciplined behavior with the color of his skin. According to Cellino, the attacker “is black, he is working to lighten himself, but he is having difficulty”.
It is worth remembering that just this month the player was the target of racial insults from Verona fans while playing a match in the Italian Championship. At the moment, he retaliated against the attacks by kicking the ball towards the attackers and, almost, did not leave the game. To find out more about Massimo Celino's interview, continue reading this article.
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Racist statement about Balotelli was not Celino's only comment about the player
The Brescia president also made other comments about Balotelli. He stated that, at the time he signed him, he considered the striker to be an added value. He also said he expected the player to give answers on the field and not on social media.
Even so, Celino said that Balotelli is not the scapegoat for Brescia's “difficult situation”. It is important to remember that the club has already lost five consecutive matches and, even after 12 games, has only accumulated seven points in the Italian Championship.
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Balotelli's departure from the field took place last week. According to the newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport, coach Fábio Grosso considered the striker uninterested and dedicated during training and, therefore, did not allow him to participate in the game against Roma last Sunday. In that match, Brescia lost 3-0.
More details about fan attacks during match against Verona
As we have already said, the racist statement about Balotelli was not the first violence suffered by the attacker. On the first Sunday of this month, the 3rd, Brescia played Verona away from home. In the second half of the match, Balotelli was angered by racist chants from the opposing team's fans and kicked the game ball towards the attackers. After that, he made a gesture with his hand, indicating that he had heard the insults, and headed off the field.
At that moment, he was supported by other players. Meanwhile, the stadium announcer announced to everyone present that the teams would go to the locker room if the attacks continued. Many fans booed the warning, but the match was resumed and Balotelli returned to play.
Final considerations
Having said that, we at News Folha We hope to have clarified the main information about the Brescia president's interview and his racist statement about Balotelli. It is important to mention that we declare our rejection of racism and hope that episodes like these will not be repeated in the future. Sport should not have the function of segregating people or maintaining structures of domination and exploitation.
Comment what you think about Massimo Celino’s statements! Also tell us what you thought of the club's match against Verona and the performance of the fans. Also, be sure to follow the sports news on our website!
