It is 2023 and yet the referee was forced to threaten the suspension of the Serie A match due to Lazio fans making racist chants against Lecce players, including Samuel Umtiti.
A large number of Lazio supporters made the trip to the Stadio Via del Mare for the first game of the new calendar year.
During the first half, racist chants were clearly heard from the away section, aimed towards players Lameck Banda and Samuel Umtiti.
Referee Livio Marinelli heard them too and had an announcement read out over the loudspeaker warning that he was prepared to suspend the game.
Banda was substituted at half-time, while Umtiti – who is on loan from Barcelona and won the World Cup with France in 2018 – seemed visibly shaken as he was reassured by Lecce coach Marco Baroni.
When the Lazio supporters continued their insults, Lecce fans drowned them out by loudly chanting Umtiti’s name in support.
Lecce had been trailing to an early Ciro Immobile goal, but turned it around to win 2-1 thanks to Gabriel Strefezza and Lorenzo Colombo.