Man City complain to UEFA over racist abuse
Reuters - Friday 17 February 2012, 09:57
Manchester
City have lodged a complaint with European football's governing
body UEFA about what they said was racist abuse directed towards
striker Mario Balotelli during a Europa League match against
Porto.
British media reported the Italian was subjected to monkey
chants during the English Premier League leader's 2-1 victory in
the first leg of their last 32 tie in Portugal on Thursday.
A City representative said on Friday the club had brought
the matter to the attention of UEFA officials.
"I heard something," City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure
told Sky Sports News. "That's why we like the Premier League
because it never happens there... maybe in a different country
they don't expect black players."
Manager Roberto Mancini had said after the final whistle
that he had not heard anything during the match.
"I didn't hear this because I was concentrating on the
game," local media quoted the Italian as saying.
"But I think the players are strong. Mario did very well. He
was calm and it is important he contributed.
"He knows these kinds of things can happen every game. This
is the reason I spoke to Mario before the game and said you
should think only about football."
Racism is a hot topic in English football at present with
Liverpool's Luis Suarez having served an eight-match ban for
racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Chelsea
captain John Terry facing criminal charges over alleged comments
he made to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.