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Lukaku Targeted by Racist Chants

Juventus and Inter drew 1-1 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal in Turin on Tuesday, in a game that concluded with a lot of drama, as striker Romelu Lukaku was sent off after quieting racial abusers. The two teams will play again on April 26 at the San Siro to determine who will face the winner of the second semifinal between Cremonese and Fiorentina.

Juventus and Inter played a game that was extremely similar, a tactical struggle with few chances produced overall. Nevertheless, things changed in the second half when the home team scored the opening goal through Juan Cuadrado, and the game appeared to be over until Brazilian defender Bremer conceded a penalty for a handball in the final minute. That’s when the bizarre scenes began. Lukaku converted from the spot, and the red cards were distributed like candy, with a total of three displayed.
The Belgian striker celebrated by putting his finger in front of his mouth and telling the home crowd to “shut up” because he came on in the second half.

Videos emerged of fans making monkey noises surrounding his penalty kick. After his celebration, the referee booked him for the second time. Lukaku received his first yellow card of the game minutes before the final whistle for a foul on Juventus defender Federico Gatti. The rule states that a player must be booked if he stimulates opposing fans; nevertheless, in this situation, the referee’s decision appears a bit harsh, given that the striker had previously celebrated in the same manner and avoided bookings. It is unknown whether the match referee heard the racial insults, however, it was reported after the game that the booking was for “Excessive joy.”

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After the game, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi told Mediaset that “his celebration was misread, he usually celebrates in the same way.”
The President of Roc Nation Sports International, who represents the Inter striker, Michael Yormark, issued a statement about the incident, saying that Lukaku was racially abused by Juventus fans in the second half “before, during, and after” he scored the penalty and that he “deserves an apology from Juventus.”
After the game, Lukaku posted about it on Instagram. “I went through it in 2019.. and again in 2023… I hope the league takes meaningful action this time since this lovely game should be enjoyed by all… Thank you for your encouraging messages. “F*ck racism,” Juventus replied to the charges on Wednesday.

“As always, Juventus Football Club is assisting the police to identify individuals guilty for the racist gestures and slogans that occurred last night,” the statement said.

The red card given to Lukaku was only the beginning of what almost became a melee between the two teams. Numerous players from both teams were active, including some on the bench, such as Inter’s Danilo D’Ambrosio and Edin Dzeko. Cuadrado of Juventus was also booked and later sent off for a clash with Inter captain Samir Handanovic (who also received a red card).

Inter will be without Lukaku and Handanovic for the second leg due to suspensions imposed by the Italian FA following their red cards, while Massimiliano Allegri will be without Cuadrado for the next three Coppa Italia matches. Furthermore, the Juventus ultras section of the stadium will be closed for the April 23 home game against Napoli.
The withdrawals of both Lukaku and Cuadrado will have an impact on the second leg, particularly for Inter given the difficulties that Inzaghi’s team is facing. Prior to Tuesday, the Nerazzurri had suffered three consecutive defeats against Spezia, Juventus, and Fiorentina, so the Coppa Italia draw is a huge relief for the manager. The former Lazio coach’s future remains uncertain, and the approaching month will reveal if he will be on the bench next season or not.

Inzaghi must compensate for Lukaku’s absence by starting this match with Dzeko and Lautaro. The former Manchester City striker is not having a good season, as his last goal came on January 18 in the Supercoppa Italiana final against AC Milan, and he has only scored once in his last six games with the Nerazzurri. Inter are clearly not at its best right now, and a draw against Juventus was the best possible result, with the hope that they will be in better shape in three weeks. Yet, Inter must move swiftly because the Nerazzurri face Benfica away in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals next week, followed by a key match against Salernitana at San Siro on Friday.