Juventus chants were not racism, says Mourinho

Inter striker Mario Balotelli encountered ignorance, not racism, when he was abused by fans at Juventus, the Serie A leaders' coach Jose Mourinho said yesterday.

Juventus were ordered to play their next home league game behind closed doors on Monday after sections of the crowd in Turin chanted "a black Italian does not exist" at the 18-year-old, who scored in Saturday's 1-1 draw.

Balotelli, an Italy under-21 international, was born in Palermo but is of Ghanaian descent.

"I don't think it's racism," Mourinho told a news conference. "It's an ignorant, stupid, infantile way to show that I don't like this player.

"Why? Not because he's African, but because he's good, because he scores against my team, because he dribbles, because he's difficult to mark."

The Portuguese said that if Juventus fans were really racist they would also abuse their own black players, such as Mohamed Sissoko.

"If it's racism, it's racism for all, not just for opposition players," he said.

He added that Balotelli had experienced this type of abuse before.

"If I can say something in Juventus' defence it is that it is not the first time Mario has been the victim of these chants," he said. "It's happened at many stadiums and even at our home ground."

Juve apologised but are appealing against the decision to ban fans from the home game with Lecce on May 3.

UEFA president Michel Platini said on Tuesday that he wanted matches to be halted if fans were making racist chants.

Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri also insisted he would order his players off the pitch if there is a repeat of the racist chanting that was directed at Balotelli.

"I will call over (Alessandro) Del Piero, our captain, and the captain of the other team and the fourth official, we'll talk it over and we'll take the only possible decision, to stop the match," he was quoted as saying by La Repubblica.

"Before that we will try another measure by going to the stand from where the chants are emanating and try to get across to the fans with gestures and with words that it would be better to stop."

Ranieri said that this was not a problem unique to Juventus, though, claiming that it was a "typical Italian vice".

"It is a national, social problem, not only a football one," he added. "I'm very disappointed about what happened but as a coach with grey hair all I can say is, avoid certain behaviour."

That last comment was a clear reference to Balotelli who irked the Juventus faithful with his controversial on-field behaviour during the match.

Many people have since accused him of inciting the wrath of the fans, who subsequently racially abused him.