Football news - Mario Balotelli comments earn Hellas Verona ultras leader 11-year ban
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Updated 05/11/2019 at 16:25 GMT
The leader of a Hellas Verona supporters group has been banned from the ground until 2030 over comments he made about Mario Balotelli.
Mario Balotelli im Spiel gegen Hellas Verona
Image credit: Getty Images
The clash between Brescia and Verona on Sunday was suspended after Balotelli was subjected to monkey chants by the home fans.
The former Manchester City and Liverpool forward picked up the ball and blasted it into the crowd before trying to walk off, only for his team-mates and opposition players to convince him to stay on the pitch.
The racist chanting was subsequently denied by the Verona manager and president but a video posted from the 'curva' recorded clearly audibly monkey chanting when Balotelli received the ball.
The game did resume after an announcement warning the crowd that the game would be stopped if the chanting continued.
The club have been given a partial stadium ban as punishment for the incident and have now moved to ban Luca Castellini, who heads a Hellas Verona ultras group, after he called Balotelli not 'completely Italian.'
Castellini said: "Balotelli is Italian because he has Italian citizenship, but he can never be completely Italian."
According to a club statement released today, Hellas Verona believe the fan displayed behaviour "contrary to those that distinguish the ethical principles and values of our club".
Balotelli, who was born in Palermo, had already hit back at fans for the chanting in his own post on Instagram.
"The 'people' of this curva who made the monkey chants. Shame on you, shame on you, shame on you," Balotelli wrote.
"In front of your children, wives, relatives, parents, friends and acquaintances... shame."
He added: "Thanks to all the colleagues on the field and off for the solidarity I had with me, and all the messages received from you fans.
"Thank you very much. You have proven to be true men not like those who deny the evidence. #notoracism."
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