Zlatan Ibrahimovic called Romelu Lukaku a ‘little donkey’ during the pair’s argument in the Derby della Madonnina last night, a report in the Italian media said today.
Near the end of the first half in their Coppa Italia quarter-final clash, which Inter won 2-1 thanks to a late free-kick from Christian Eriksen, the former Manchester United teammates ended up engaged in a war of words and even ended up head-to-head at one point.
Television cameras picked up the whole altercation, during which Ibrahimovic told Lukaku: “Call your mum, go and do your s*** voodoo rituals, little donkey.”
Lukaku immediately understood what Ibrahimovic was referring to and that was when his mother, following a voodoo ritual, reportedly advised him to leave Everton and return to Chelsea in 2017, a story the Inter forward has previously denied.
The Belgian replied: “You want to talk about my Mum? Why?
“Let’s talk about you and your Mum, she’s a…”
Lukaku did leave Everton in the end albeit for Manchester United, where he ended up playing alongside Ibrahimovic.
Things continued after half-time and both players were booked for their parts in the situation, which will see Lukaku suspended for the first leg of Inter’s semi-final next week.
Ibrahimovic’s booking came back to cost him though as he received another yellow card shortly after the second half began and he was therefore given his marching orders by referee Paolo Valeri.
The report claims that following the match Ibrahimovic apologised to his AC Milan teammates for being sent off but assured them that he had not used any racist words during his altercation with Lukaku.
The Rossoneri forward issued a public denial on Wednesday afternoon, telling his followers on Twitter: “In Zlatan’s world there is no place for racism.”
