Mario Balotelli

The capital club have released a statement condemning the actions of Giallorossi fans who chanted racist abuse in Sunday’s Serie A tie with Napoli

Roma have branded the conduct of supporters who chanted racial abuse during Sunday’s Serie A match with Napoli “appalling and unacceptable”.

The racist chanting, directed at AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, comes after the capital club were fined €50,000 by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) due to racist chanting during a 0-0 draw with the Rossoneri on May 12.

The Giallorossi have now been fined another €50,000, and will also have their Curva Sud stand closed for the first home game of next season’s Serie A campaign.

“What occurred [on] Sunday night is appalling and unacceptable,” a statement on the club’s official site reads.

“Roma do not want those individuals responsible as fans. The actions of this small group are hateful and also hurt our club and our loyal law-abiding supporters.

“We have not yet received a detailed report from the [Italian] league Federation but will continue to work with them and law enforcement to ensure that everything possible is done to identify and ban those involved from football stadia.”

The Azzurri boss has made it clear that racial absue must not be tolerated and criticised Zdenek Zeman for comments over a recent incident involving Mario Balotelli

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has called on the footballing world to tackle the problem of racism after AC Milan’s Mario Balotelli was abused by Roma supporters during their goalless draw on May 12.

The Serie A match had to be paused by the referee at one point due to offensive chants directed at the former Manchester City striker, and Prandelli insists more must be done to combat the issue as it is prevalent beyond the borders of the bel paese.

“This is not just a problem of AC Milan and Italian football, it is everyone’s problem,” the 55-year-old told Tuttosport.

“With Balotelli we still face the problem of racism today. We will discuss it soon, even with the whole [Italy] team.”

Prandelli then criticised former Giallorossi boss Zdenek Zeman for refusing to acknoledge the incident as racism-related and claiming Balotelli provokes such abuse with his behaviour.

“Zeman said he [Balotelli] pays for his attitude? That’s a serious problem, it is like saying that women are subjected to violence because they take care of their looks,” Prandelli fumed.

“We must no longer tolerate anything, we must have determination to stay on the subject. It’ll be a long path, but we must insist on this road and think about our children.

“First of all we must have respect for the person, always, and be aware of what everyone has experienced on their own.”

The San Siro trainer insists everybody is focused on beating Siena on Sunday to claim third place in Serie A and thanked the fans for their support of him this campaign

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri has dismissed suggestions that falling out of the top three on the final day of the Serie A season would make the campaign a failure.

Failure to beat Siena on Sunday could see Fiorentina leapfrog them if their win their match, a scenario that would see the Rossoneri qualify for the Europa League instead of the Champions League.

“We have reached the end of the season, which has been rich with satisfying moments,” Allegri told reporters on Saturday. “We need to win in order to maintain third place, fundamental for the Champions League, but our season cannot have been a failure.

“Siena will not be depressed or upset, as they will be eager to get a great result and leave Serie A with their heads held high. The lads had a great week to prepare in the best way possible for this match.”

“We are two points ahead of Fiorentina and certainly have done more than them. It’s a shame that one of the two teams has to miss out on the Champions League,” continued Allegri.

“The Viola play good football, but this sport is about results. You can only win one or two games without deserving to, but then you build something great the way we did. In Italy there is this obsession with tactics, so you can even win when playing badly.

“The tension is high right now, but that is only right considering the match we are facing. Siena want to end the season well, they caused problems for Napoli last week and we must do well to keep the concentration on full for 90 minutes.

Allegri refused to divulge whether he would still be at San Siro next season amid rumours of him leaving to join Roma and simply stated that his future would be discussed with the campaign complete.

“Is this my last press conference for Milan? Yes…of the season,” the coach smiled. “Nobody is thinking about the future right now.

“I spoke to [club owner Silvio] Berlusconi yesterday, but unfortunately due to personal commitments he was unable to come today.

“I haven’t decided anything about the future yet, as tomorrow night is a very important game. After that, I will talk to the club, but at this moment the issue of the coach is at the bottom of our priorities. Right now we just need to win against Siena. After the season is over, we will talk about what’s going to happen.”

Mario Balotelli claimed this week that he would walk off if he was racially abused again by supporters following taunts from some Roma fans earlier in May, a sentiment that Allegri remained coy on, simply hinting that football organisations clamp down on discrimination.

“It would be best if Balotelli stayed on the field all the time, obviously,” he added. “The decision is down to the authorities.”

Allegri was tipped to be sacked as Milan coach in the first half of the season on numerous occasions as the club languished in midtable, however, their turnaround in form to be on the verge of Champions League qualification has been hugely impressive and Allegri extended his thanks to fans, players and the club who ensured he remained Rossoneri boss.

He added: “The fans have been laudable all season and created the right enthusiasm around us despite the initial diffidence and fear.

“On a personal note, before the game I have to thank the lads and the club, because they kept me even after difficult opening rounds, just like Cagliari had done.”

The striker believes he was treated unfairly during his time in the Premier League and insists his public persona was twisted by the media

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has revealed that he was “really happy” to leave England in January.

The 21-year-old spent three years in the Premier League with Manchester City, but he ended his spell at the club earlier this year after a much-publicised falling-out with then-manager Roberto Mancini.

However, Balotelli insists he did not have to think twice about returning to his homeland when handed the opportunity after admitting to have felt isolated during his time at the Etihad Stadium.

“Yes,” Balotelli told CNN when asked if he was unfairly treated in England.

“But I’m not here to talk about if I’m unfairly treated. I don’t care. I’m out from England, I’m happy that I’m out from England. That’s it.

“I’m really happy now. I have my family near me and my friends. I can relax and find my privacy, more than in England, where I was alone.”

The former Inter starlet blazed a trail of negative press while at City, with stories of car crashes, throwing a dart at a youth-team player and fireworks being set off in his bathroom to name but a few.

But while he remains a popular topic in the Italian media, Balotelli believes he is just a “normal guy” and must now endeavour to change the press perceptions of his character.

“The stuff that they said in the newspapers that I did in England in the past, few of those are real,” he added.

“The others are really just the imagination of the journalists. But when you create an icon of a person in that kind of way, after everyone thinks you are like this and if you lie about it, everyone just thinks that it is all true.

“So maybe that’s why they think I’m crazy and do crazy things? Sometimes I dream to be alone and that nobody would talk to me. A love of women I think is normal. Cars? I like fast cars and I don’t see the problem if I like fast cars.

“Some things have happened in my life, some stuff unfortunately happened and they went on the newspapers straight away. But I don’t see anything that would make people think that I’m bad or I’m crazy. I’m a normal guy.

“But I understand that football is really important and that everybody watches it. When you’re famous you have to do photos or autographs, especially for the kids.

“Of course, even if you’re the best in the world then some people don’t like you and some people like you. What is important for me is that the people who know me for real, know Mario how he really is.

“People who don’t know me, they read newspapers and they watch TV. Television is made to give a lot of opinions, so I can’t show the real Mario to everybody.”

Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian Referee’s Association, says that the 22-year-old Milan star will be red carded if he leaves the pitch in protest

Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian Referee’s Association (AIA) has warned Mario Balotelli that he will be receive a red card if he walks off a pitch due to racial abuse.

The AC Milan star claimed that he would have no problem in leaving the field if he were to encounter any more racist chanting in Serie A, as team-mate Kevin Prince Boateng did in January during a friendly game.

And while Nicchi accepts that the authorities need to do more to combat racism in the game, he says enforcement of rules will see Italy international punished.

“Everyone is free to express their own opinions but there are rules. Whoever leaves the field to make a protest, without warning the referee or without being substituted will be sent off,” he told SkyTG24.

“Less importance has to be given to this phenomenon as a media event and more importance from what can be done realistically.

“Be tough and uncompromising with the idiots who sing these shameful chants.”

Balotelli was subject to racist chants from Roma fans during Sunday’s 0-0 draw at San Siro, with the Giallorossi promptly fined €50,000 for their supporters’ conduct.