Barcelona loanee Samuel Umtiti leaves pitch in tears after vile racist abuse in Lecce vs Lazio clash
Barcelona star Samuel Umtiti was subjected to horrific racist abuse during Lecce's 2-1 win over Lazio on Wednesday (January 4).
Lecce climbed to 12th position in the 2022-23 Serie A standings with a statement victory against Maurizio Sarri's side at the Stadio Via del Mare. After Ciro Immobile opened the scoring in the first half, Gabriel Strefezza and Lorenzo Colombo netted a goal apiece following the break to help their side register a comeback win.
However, the contest was marred by a section of Lazio's traveling support racially abusing Lecce pair Umtiti and Lameck Banda. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner left the pitch at the end of the match in tears due to the vile abuse as the home crowd chanted his name.
After the conclusion of the game, Lecce posted on Twitter:
"Racist chants have been overwhelmed by songs of encouragement! All the Lecce fans started shouting one name: Umtiti."
π° ππππ ππππππππ ππππ πππππ πΊπΆπ΄π΄π¬πΉπΊπ° π π ππππππ π 'πππππππππππππππ! π»ππππ ππ ππππππ πππππππππππ ππ ππππππππ ππ ππππππ ππ ππππ ππππ @samumtiti !
#KeepRacismOut @SerieA https://t.co/wqGWCOGDQ7
During a post-match interaction, Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani asserted that Umtiti asked for the game to resume after it was halted due to the chanting from the away fans. He said:
"I hugged Samuel, as I do with all his Lecce teammates. After each match, regardless of the result, I always want to greet the boys and the staff. When the referee stopped the game, waiting for the announcer to call for an end to the racist chants, Umtiti asked for the game to resume because he wanted to respond to the insults he received on the pitch. He reacted like a true champion."
Umtiti, 29, joined the Salentini from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal earlier this summer. Since arriving at the Serie A outfit, he has featured in 423 minutes of action, spread across six appearances.
A left-footed centre-back blessed with power and tackling, the France international has helped Barcelona lift seven trophies so far. He has featured in 133 matches for the Catalan giants till date, scoring twice.
π΅ππ΄ https://t.co/VuitYfvldY
Barcelona edge closer to signing Spanish international on a free transfer: Reports
According to SPORT, Barcelona are edging closer to snapping up Athletic Bilbao centre-back Inigo Martinez on a free transfer in the summer. The player is yet to be offered a new deal at Los Leones and has no intention of signing a new deal amid transfer interest.
Martinez, 31, has been a standout performer in the La Liga due to his consistent outings for Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao. So far, he has registered 21 goals and eight assists in 351 La Liga games.
A left-footed defender with an excellent range of passing, Martinez could be a fine addition to Barcelona's ranks in the future, considering their lack of leadership and quality at centre-back. Gerard Pique has already retired, while Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet are expected to depart next summer after returning from their respective loan spells.