The FIGC have confirmed Italy players will kneel before the game against Belgium, although they ‘don’t share’ the Black Lives Matter campaign.
The Federcalcio confirmed Italy’s players will kneel as a gesture against racism ahead of the match against Belgium on Friday, ‘in solidarity’ with the Belgians.
Italy will kneel at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Friday, ahead of the match against Belgium in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.
The indications from Coverciano follows the words from captain Giorgio Chiellini in the minutes preceding the match in London against Austria last Saturday.
The veteran of the team said that the gesture would have been automatic if the opponents had done so, as a sign of solidarity.
The Azzurri, who remained standing as Austria didn’t kneel ahead of the game on Saturday, will continue to follow their opponents’ actions in the quarter-finals.
“As [captain Giorgio] Chiellini explained, the team will kneel in solidarity with the opponents,” the FIGC said, according to La Repubblica.
“Not for the campaign itself, which we don’t share. The Austrian players didn’t kneel and ours remained standing. If those from Belgium do so, ours too will in solidarity with them.”
Only five Italian players took the knee against Wales in their third group stage game last week: Andrea Belotti, Matteo Pessina, Emerson Palmieri, Rafael Toloi and Federico Bernardeschi.