Match ends, Cagliari 1, Inter Milan 2.
Romelu Lukaku: Inter Milan striker racially abused in Cagliari game
- From the section European Football
Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was racially abused by Cagliari fans as he scored from the penalty spot to give his club a 2-1 victory in Serie A.
He is the latest black player to suffer abuse from Cagliari fans, prompting calls for action to be taken.
Lukaku, 26, stood and stared at fans behind the goal - where monkey chants had come from - after scoring.
"Cagliari have history for this," said European football's anti-discrimination body Fare.
The fans' actions were condemned by Inter defender Milan Skriniar in a post-match interview. "There are things that must not be in football," he said, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
However, when Inter boss Antonio Conte was asked about the chants, he said: "I really didn't hear anything from the bench. However, it is true that in general in Italy more education is needed."
Belgium international Lukaku, a £74m signing from Manchester United in the summer, was playing in his second game for Conte's side at Cagliari's Sardegna Arena.
Last season Everton's Moise Kean suffered similar abuse when playing against Cagliari for Juventus. But the incident became a bigger issue when Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and defender Leonardo Bonucci appeared to suggest Kean should take some of the blame for the way he celebrated scoring a goal.
Serie A decided not to sanction Cagliari for their fans' racism - despite admitting their actions were "reprehensible".
The previous year Cagliari fans were called out after abusing another Juventus player in Blaise Matuidi - but Italian football chiefs did not take any action.
In 2017, Pescara midfielder Sulley Muntari walked off the pitch after being racially abused by Cagliari fans - but was subsequently banned by football authorities for his protest.
Cagliari was heavily criticised on its social media channels but the club has not yet addressed Sunday's abuse.
Line-ups
Cagliari
- 90Olsen
- 19PisacaneBooked at 71minsSubstituted forCastroat 75'minutes
- 23CeppitelliBooked at 68mins
- 15Klavan
- 18NándezBooked at 88mins
- 6Rog
- 4NainggolanBooked at 60minsSubstituted forCigariniat 85'minutes
- 21IonitaBooked at 76mins
- 33Pellegrini
- 9CerriSubstituted forSimeoneat 45'minutes
- 10Geraldino dos Santos Galvão
Substitutes
- 1Bittencourt Pinheiro
- 2Pinna
- 3Mattiello
- 8Cigarini
- 14Birsa
- 17Oliva
- 20Aresti
- 22Lykogiannis
- 26Ragatzu
- 29Castro
- 56Romagna
- 99Simeone
Inter Milan
- 1Handanovic
- 33D'Ambrosio
- 13RanocchiaBooked at 86mins
- 37Skriniar
- 87CandrevaSubstituted forGodínat 79'minutes
- 8VecinoSubstituted forBarellaat 69'minutes
- 77BrozovicBooked at 21mins
- 12Sensi
- 18AsamoahBooked at 45mins
- 9Lukaku
- 10MartínezSubstituted forPolitanoat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Godín
- 5Gagliardini
- 11Sánchez
- 16Politano
- 19Lazaro
- 20Valero
- 21Dimarco
- 23Barella
- 27Padelli
- 30Esposito
- 46Berni
- 95Bastoni
- Referee:
- Fabio Maresca
- Attendance:
- 16,412
Match Stats
Home TeamCagliariAway TeamInter Milan
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away10
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Cagliari 1, Inter Milan 2.
Corner, Inter Milan. Conceded by Luca Ceppitelli.
Corner, Cagliari. Conceded by Diego Godín.
Danilo D'Ambrosio (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Artur Ionita (Cagliari).
Corner, Cagliari. Conceded by Andrea Ranocchia.
Attempt saved. Matteo Politano (Inter Milan) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku with a headed pass.
Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Artur Ionita (Cagliari).
Offside, Inter Milan. Nicolò Barella tries a through ball, but Danilo D'Ambrosio is caught offside.
Booking
Nahitan Nández (Cagliari) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Matteo Politano (Inter Milan) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Nahitan Nández (Cagliari).
Attempt blocked. Kwadwo Asamoah (Inter Milan) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stefano Sensi.
Booking
Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan) is shown the yellow card.
Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Artur Ionita (Cagliari).
Substitution
Substitution, Cagliari. Luca Cigarini replaces Radja Nainggolan.
Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Matteo Politano.
Diego Godín (Inter Milan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marko Rog (Cagliari).
Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Giovanni Simeone (Cagliari).
Substitution
Substitution, Inter Milan. Diego Godín replaces Antonio Candreva.
Substitution
Substitution, Inter Milan. Matteo Politano replaces Lautaro Martínez.
Booking
Artur Ionita (Cagliari) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Artur Ionita (Cagliari).
Substitution
Substitution, Cagliari. Lucas Castro replaces Fabio Pisacane.
Hand ball by Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan).
Goal!
Goal! Cagliari 1, Inter Milan 2. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Booking
Fabio Pisacane (Cagliari) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Penalty Inter Milan. Stefano Sensi draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Fabio Pisacane (Cagliari) after a foul in the penalty area.
Substitution
Substitution, Inter Milan. Nicolò Barella replaces Matías Vecino.
Antonio Candreva (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Artur Ionita (Cagliari).
Booking
Luca Ceppitelli (Cagliari) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Cagliari. Conceded by Marcelo Brozovic.
