Following racist abuse directed at Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans during Inter’s 1-1 Coppa Italia draw on Tuesday, Serie A has announced that the lower tier of Allianz Stadium’s South Stand will be partially closed for Juventus’s league game against Napoli on 23 April.
This is in response to racist chanting from “the majority of fans” seated in that section before and during Lukaku’s stoppage-time penalty. The closure is a one-match punishment for Juventus, who will play the game in a partially closed stadium.
Lukaku was sent off with a second yellow card for putting his finger to his lips in front of the home fans after scoring a late equaliser in the semi-final first leg. He will serve a one-match ban for the red card.
Additionally, Juventus midfielder Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic have also been banned after a scuffle broke out following the final whistle.
Cuadrado has received a three-match suspension for grabbing Handanovic by the neck and punching him, while Handanovic has been banned for one match for his part in the altercation.
On Thursday, sports agency Roc Nation, who represents Lukaku, called for sports to “hold bigots accountable” and stated that “hatred equals racism equals ignorance.”