Football news - Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku condemn ‘Black Friday’ headline in Italian paper
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Updated 05/12/2019 at 18:25 GMT
An Italian newspaper has been condemned for running the headline ‘Black Friday’ alongside pictures of Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling.
Romelu Lukaku, Chris Smalling, 'Black Friday' headline
Image credit: Eurosport
Inter face Roma in Serie A on Friday, in a match which sees former Manchester United team-mates Lukaku and Smalling go head to head. Corriere dello Sport ran with the ‘Black Friday’ headline for its Thursday edition.
And Smalling released a statement on social media criticising the "highly insensitive" headline.
"It is important that I acknowledge that was occurred this morning was wrong and highly insensitive," the statement read.
"I hope the editors involved in running this headline take responsibility and understand the power they possess through words, and the impact those words can have."
Lukaku also released a statement on social media accusing the newspaper of "fuelling racism".
"Instead of focusing on a battle between two teams, Corriere dello Sport comes with the dumbest of headlines I have ever scene in my career. You guys keeps fuelling the negativity and racism issue.
Education is key. You guys at Corriere dello Sport should do a better job at that..."
Roma chief strategy officer Paul Rogers said the headline "overshadowed" its intention to be positive.
"The intention of the newspaper article was actually positive," said Rogers, per BBC Sport.
"But this headline has totally overshadowed the anti-racist message contained within the story.
Unfortunately, as we've seen on social media, more people will see that ill-judged headline on the front page than read the actual article and it creates new issues at a time when we are all trying to tackle the issue of racism in Italian football.
Above the headline, it read: "Lukaku and Smalling, former team-mates at Manchester United and today idols at Inter and Roma, this is the battle within the battle tomorrow with the scudetto and a Champions League place at stake.”
Inter added on Twitter: "Football is passion, culture and brotherhood. We are and always will be opposed to any form of discrimination."
Corriere dello Sport editor Ivan Zazzaroni has released a statement on his paper's website, saying journalist Roberto Perrone was celebrating the "magnificent wealth of diversity" in football.
Zazzaroni said: "'Black Friday', for those who want to understand it and can understand it, was only praising diversity, taking pride in diversity, the magnificent wealth of diversity. If you don't understand it, it's because you can't do that.
It's an innocent article, perfectly argued by (journalist) Roberto Perrone, that has been made poisonous by those who have poison inside them.
AC Milan tweeted: "It is totally unacceptable to see such casual ignorance on racism. We will not stay silent on this issue…"
The club later issued a statement saying they had issued a ban to Corriere dello Sport from club training facilities and media activities with players until the end of the year.
Roma have issued the same ban.
ESPN journalist Matteo Bonetti said the front page was "tone deaf, ignorant and with the usual racial undertones".
He added: “Saying I’m shocked would be a lie at this point. Absolute embarrassment from [Corriere dello Sport] to come up with this title for Friday’s clash between Inter and Roma.”
Roma's official English Twitter account also appeared to criticise the front page, tweeting "No one: ... Absolutely nobody: ... Not a single soul: ... Corriere dello Sport headline writer:" before posting the image.
Fare, an anti-discrimination organisation, tweeted: "The media fuels racism every day. This is today's edition of Italian sport daily Corriere dello Sport."
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