Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is hoping that the second yellow card that was given to striker Romelu Lukaku for his goal celebration against Juventus this evening can be overturned due to racist chants that were aimed at the Belgian.
Speaking in a press conference after the match, as reported by FCInterNews, the coach suggested that he is hopeful that the booking which resulted in the striker’s suspension for the next match will be overturned if the authorities determine that he had been the victim of racist abuse.
Lukaku saw red for a second yellow card in reaction to his celebration of a late penalty which equalized against the Bianconeri in this evening’s Coppa Italia semifinal first leg.
The celebration, a “silencing the crowd” gesture directed at Juventus fans, was seen as inciting the crowd by referee Davide Massa, although Inzaghi does not see it that way as the coach had pointed out that this is Lukaku’s normal goal celebration.
Inzaghi is hopeful that the incident will be looked at in the same way that a yellow card that was given to Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman for similar reasons following a very innocuous-looking celebration of a goal against Udinese also was.
Moreover, there is the fact that video evidence has been recorded of Juventus fans directing racist “monkey” chants at Lukaku, and Inzaghi is hoping that this is considered an extenuating circumstance that could cause the 29-year-old’s suspension for the second leg to be overturned.
“There will be video of it,” Inzaghi said of the apparent racist abuse of Lukaku, “hopefully his booking is overturned as had already happened with Lookman.”
“He celebrated and it got misunderstood, and then the big brawl was not something we ever want to see,” he continued.
“The only thing I can think about right now is the fact that it will mean we have to do without Handanovic and Lukaku in the second leg, considering they’re important players for us.”
Inzaghi admitted that “We haven’t been having a great run of form, it’s to be expected that we’re not happy about the way things are going in the league, the way things have been going aren’t worthy of Inter.”
“But these players always take responsibility,” he continued.
“This evening we played a good match in a difficult away ground against an in-form opponent.”
“My assessment wouldn’t have been any different even without the late goal,” the coach went on.
“We created many dangerous situations that could have shifted the match.”
“We conceded an avoidable goal, but we didn’t fall apart, and we got a result,” Inzaghi said.
“I’m happy for the team because this moment hasn’t been easy for us, especially after the loss against Fiorentina.”
“It’s a great message for everyone,” the coach said.
The Nerazzurri coach added that “I would have liked a win, but given how things went we’ll take a draw.”
“At the end of April we have the return leg at home, and if we win we can get to the final.”
“I’m happy with what I saw on the pitch,” Inzaghi added, “the guys played a great match against a top-class opponent, just as we wanted to do.”
