Rising Italy star Moise Kean was targeted by racist abuse after he scored for Juventus on Tuesday — but teammate Leonardo Bonucci blamed him for inciting the crowd at Cagliari.
Goals from 19-year-old Kean and Bonucci gave Juve a 2-0 victory over Cagliari that took them closer to an eighth consecutive Serie A title.
However, the youngster’s celebration after scoring infuriated the home crowd, which jeered the teenager throughout after he was booked for diving in the first half.
Photo: AP
Kean, along with his French teammate Blaise Matuidi and Brazilian Alex Sandro, were targeted by monkey noises throughout the match, but they increased in intensity after the second goal.
The teenager celebrated with his hands outstretched in front of the Cagliari fans after scoring, but Bonucci said that Kean should not have provoked the home supporters.
“Kean knows that when he scores a goal, he should celebrate that with his teammates. He knows he could have done something differently too,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia. “There were racist jeers after the goal, Blaise heard it and was angered. I think the blame is 50-50, because Moise shouldn’t have done that and the Curva [Cagliari fans] should not have reacted that way.”
Cagliari fans appeared to throw objects at Kean, and the match was momentarily stopped and an appeal made over the stadium speakers.
Matuidi appeared furious at the jeers at the same stadium where he was targeted last season.
The abuse came on the day that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin vowed to ask referees to stop matches if racist chanting breaks out.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri called for the culprits to be banned, but Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini blamed Kean for stirring up tensions and said that criticism of his club’s supporters was “self-righteousness.”
The win put Juventus back 18 points clear of second-placed SSC Napoli, who were to travel to lowly Empoli yesterday.
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