Verona Mayor: Mario Balotelli provokes people to make racial comments

Verona’s Mayor feels AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli provokes people

Flavio Tosi, Mayor of Italian city Verona and a member of the anti-immigration Lega Nord party, made the controversial comment that Balotelli himself is responsible for the racial abuse he gets. His comments come ahead of Saturday’s Serie A opener, as AC Milan take on newly promoted side Hellas Verona.

There are fears that racial chants may be hurled at AC Milan’s star striker, as Verona fans have a history of racially abusing opponents.

“Will I reassure Balotelli about coming to Verona? There are two aspects here,” claims Tosi on Radio Sportiva, according to Yahoo Sports.

“One is the fans, the other is the club that has always worked hard to improve the behaviour of the fans other than those four idiots. If someone acts like a cretin, he’ll be in the minority.

“However, if Balotelli provoked people a bit less, then it would be even better. There are many black players, but not all of them stoke the fire of the opposition fans. Most have no problems. Balotelli is very good at making himself unlikeable.”

The comments from the Mayor of Verona come in the backdrop of a tense atmosphere surrounding Serie A games this weekend, especially after Lazio fans released a statement insisting that their monkey noises at black Juventus players last week should not be considered racist.

Meanwhile, Lazio have been forced to close down their stadium – Curva Nord – for their next home game as punishment for the racial abuse which took place during the Italian Super Cup.

Although Lazio ultras defended that their behaviour is by no means racist, they have decided to stop making those noises “to silence the hypocrites.”