Goofy
01-03-2013, 06:15 PM
AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng made an extraordinary stand against racism today, leading his teammates off the field after being subjected to abuse during a friendly at fourth division side Pro Patria.
Midway through the first-half, the former Tottenham and Portsmouth player stopped, picked up the ball and kicked it towards a group of supporters who were abusing him and Milan's other black players.
The Ghanaian number 10 then ripped off his shirt and led the rest of the team, plus the Pro Patria players, back to the changing rooms.
Most of the Pro Patria fans applauded Boateng's actions and the small club's players were seen appealing to the fans to stop.
It is believed M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari were also targeted.
Muntari had earlier had a goal disallowed and the score remained 0-0.
The match, part of Milan's preparations for the second half of the Serie A season, was later abandoned. They return to action at home to Siena on Sunday.
The AC Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, said: 'We are disappointed and saddened by what has happened.
'Milan play for the right to respect all players. We need to stop these uncivilised gestures.
'We are sorry for all the other fans who came here for a beautiful day of sport. We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision.
'I hope it can be an important signal.'
Milan director Umberto Gandini Tweeted: 'Very proud of the Milan players who decided to walk off the pitch today for racist abuse from few idiots!'
The Pro Patria chairman said the fans heard racially abusing Boateng were not Ultras and were not known to the club.
He said: 'I have never seen them before. They were here to make a statement. It is up to the authorities to tackle these problems.'
Pro Patria are based in the city of Busto Arsizio in Lombardy and play in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, the fourth tier of Italian football.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjNt5mUci0w
Midway through the first-half, the former Tottenham and Portsmouth player stopped, picked up the ball and kicked it towards a group of supporters who were abusing him and Milan's other black players.
The Ghanaian number 10 then ripped off his shirt and led the rest of the team, plus the Pro Patria players, back to the changing rooms.
Most of the Pro Patria fans applauded Boateng's actions and the small club's players were seen appealing to the fans to stop.
It is believed M'Baye Niang, Urby Emanuelson and Sulley Muntari were also targeted.
Muntari had earlier had a goal disallowed and the score remained 0-0.
The match, part of Milan's preparations for the second half of the Serie A season, was later abandoned. They return to action at home to Siena on Sunday.
The AC Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, said: 'We are disappointed and saddened by what has happened.
'Milan play for the right to respect all players. We need to stop these uncivilised gestures.
'We are sorry for all the other fans who came here for a beautiful day of sport. We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision.
'I hope it can be an important signal.'
Milan director Umberto Gandini Tweeted: 'Very proud of the Milan players who decided to walk off the pitch today for racist abuse from few idiots!'
The Pro Patria chairman said the fans heard racially abusing Boateng were not Ultras and were not known to the club.
He said: 'I have never seen them before. They were here to make a statement. It is up to the authorities to tackle these problems.'
Pro Patria are based in the city of Busto Arsizio in Lombardy and play in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, the fourth tier of Italian football.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjNt5mUci0w