Football

JUVE JUST COPPA FINE

Juventus crowd fined for anti-Napoli chants… but Lazio and Old Lady NOT fined for racist abuse towards Kalidou Koulibaly and Antonio Rudiger

All the incidents came in heated Coppa Italia semi-finals

ALEC SHILTON

Published: 19:38, 2 Mar 2017
Updated: 20:14, 2 Mar 2017

JUVENTUS and Lazio have escaped disciplinary action for racist chanting in their Coppa Italia clashes this week.

And that is even more incredible given that the same commission has fined Juventus fans for 'anti-Napoli' chanting.

Antonio Rudiger was racially abused in Roma's Coppa Italia defeat — Antonio Rudiger was racially abused in Roma's Coppa Italia defeatCredit: Getty Images

The Biancocelesti's first Rome derby win in eight matches was overshadowed after the club were forced to stop their fans from chanting racist abuse.

Lazio beat Roma 2-0 on Tuesday to take control of the Coppa Italia semi-final – with the Stadio Olimpico announcer telling home fans that the game would be interrupted if they didn’t cease chanting racist abuse at Roma defender Rudiger.

He was repeatedly subjected to racist chanting from the home fans – but after the announcement the abuse stopped.

Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly (right) was abused by Juventus fans in Turin — Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly (right) was abused by Juventus fans in TurinCredit: EPA

Lazio fans were told to cease chanting or the match would be interrupted — Lazio fans were told to cease chanting or the match would be interruptedCredit: EPA

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A large number of Roma fans continued their boycott over partitions that have been installed at the Stadio Olimpico — A large number of Roma fans continued their boycott over partitions that have been installed at the Stadio OlimpicoCredit: EPA

Juve had beaten Napoli 3-1 in a controversial encounter the previous evening, with the Naples club now threatening to play their youth team in the second leg in protest over the ref.

Home fans in Turin also abused a black player, with Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly the unfortunate player to be on the receiving end of it.

Referee Paolo Valeri infuriated Naploi fans during their defeat to Juventus — Referee Paolo Valeri infuriated Naploi fans during their defeat to JuventusCredit: Getty Images

Ciro Immobile and Keita Balde celebrate the 2-0 win over Roma - Lazio's first win over their rivals in eight matches — Ciro Immobile and Keita Balde celebrate the 2-0 win over Roma - Lazio's first win over their rivals in eight matchesCredit: EPA

However, according to , the chanting from so brief and from such a small number of fans that it did not warrant a fine.

And Lazio fans got away with their treatment of German defender Rudiger because it was “impossible to ascertain the number or percentage of the fans who joined in the chant.”

Juventus were instead fined £8,500 (€10,000) after being found guilty of ‘territorial discrimination’ for a 20-second chant directed at Napoli fans.

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