Italy’s deputy Prime Minister seeks to explain his comments on Kalidou Koulibaly – “monkey noises should be condemned, but not lumped in with being a fan”.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing anti-immigrant Lega downplayed the abuse directed at the Napoli centre-back in an interview with Tiki Taka, and this afternoon he went on Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli to explain his comments.
“Racism in 2018 is stupid,” Salvini repeated.
Italy’s deputy Prime Minister seeks to explain his comments on Kalidou Koulibaly – “monkey noises should be condemned, but not lumped in with being a fan”.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing anti-immigrant Lega downplayed the abuse directed at the Napoli centre-back in an interview with Tiki Taka, and this afternoon he went on Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli to explain his comments.
“Racism in 2018 is stupid,” Salvini repeated.
“The monkey noises at the stadium should be condemned, but not lumped in with being a fan. There are white players who are whistled and are the object of chants, don't put everyone in one pot.
"Teasing, in the limits of good taste, is part of the sport.
“I don’t know how it would have ended if they’d suspended the Inter-Napoli match, given what happened before. [Referee Paolo] Mazzoleni did well.
“Something didn’t work in terms of prevention if people came from France to fight [Nice and Varese fans are believed to have joined the Inter ultras to attack a Napoli bus]. We need very severe penalties for those who commit violent acts.
“Fans singing ‘Vesuvius wash them with fire’ is like ‘Milan in flames’, in one of the last Milan away matches I heard songs about hand grenades on Milan.
“Ultras are 90 per cent decent people, but they need to isolate the violent ones. Prohibiting travel and closing stadiums is a mistake for respectable people.
“A picture with Koulibaly before Milan-Napoli? Why not? If I were Milan President I’d take him to the Rossoneri.”