Edin Dzeko has weighed in on the racist abuse faced by Inter team-mate Romelu Lukaku, calling it something "that should never happen on the football pitch".

Belgium forward Lukaku was abused by Juventus supporters during an ill-tempered Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg last week.

It came against the backdrop of a particularly violent 1-1 encounter, with both Samir Handanovic and Juan Cuadrado also shown red cards for their part in a brawl.

Ahead of the return leg later this month, Dzeko acknowledged the events were things that should not have been allowed to take place, while outlining Inter's wider cup ambitions.

"During the match, some things happened that never should on the football pitch," he told N1. "They have already been spoken and written about.

"Our fans supported us throughout the match. I thank them for their support on the pitch. We have had a good relationship since the first day [I arrived] at Inter.

"This season, I have already won a trophy, but the goal is to always win new titles. In Milan, I won three. I know how important it is for the club to be in the fight for the Scudetto.

"The fight with Juventus is wide open. At San Siro, we will have to play even better [if we are] to try to reach the final and lift the Coppa Italia."

Dzeko will have pressing European commitments before the second leg, though, with his side set to face Benfica in the Champions League quarter-finals.

They will host Juventus a fortnight on Wednesday, with both teams looking to reach May's final against either Fiorentina or Cremonese.

Alessandro Bastoni, 23, is a player on the rise at Inter, having made his Italy debut in 2020 and winning the Scudetto in 2021.

But the central defender's future with the Nerazzurri is uncertain amid an inability to come to an agreement with the club on a new contract.

Bastoni's contract expires in 2024 and he has been in talks with Inter on a new deal, but two of European football's giants are reportedly circling.

TOP STORY – BASTONI IN PSG AND CITY'S SIGHTS

Powerhouse clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City will both attempt to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter in the off-season, reports Tuttosport.

The report claims Bastoni has been offered an improved deal by Inter but it does not meet his salary expectations, meaning no agreement has been reached.

PSG and City are both known to have endless pockets and could swoop to sign the talented Italian defender.

ROUND-UP

Karim Benzema has turned down an offer from Saudi Arabia and instead wants to stay with Real Madrid for at least one more season, according to Marca.

Juventus are weighing up a move for Valencia skipper Jose Gaya, reports Calciomercato. Gaya extended his contract with Los Che until 2027 last October.

– Football Insider claims Tottenham have registered their interest in signing Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech.

– Calciomercato reports Milan are tracking Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun, who has impressed this season on loan with French club Reims.

– Ex-Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has opted against taking up Leicester City's offer to become their new boss, claims The Telegraph.

Jose Mourinho could not resist a dig at Serie A rivals Juventus after seeing his Roma side secure a crucial 1-0 win at Torino on Saturday.

Paulo Dybala's eighth-minute penalty was enough for the Giallorossi, sending them into third place after Milan and Inter both drew on Friday.

Juve lost 2-1 at Lazio to leave the Bianconeri on 44 points, nine adrift of Mourinho's side, though the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss is not convinced that will remain the case.

The appeal Juve lodged against their 15-point penalty for transfer fee irregularities will be heard on April 19, meaning the top-four picture could eventually look very different.

Speaking after the win in Turin, Mourinho did not care about the quality of the performance, just the three points, before referencing Juve's situation.

"Matches are won when you score one more goal than your opponent," he told DAZN. "This is the goal not only in football but in sport: you have to win by trying to exploit your qualities and try to hide the problems.

"We are third in the standings? Are we sure that Juve don't have 59 points? We are in Italy."

Since 2004-05, Dybala (11 goals, six assists) is only the second player to score more than 10 goals and record more than five assists in a debut season for Roma in Serie A, after Mohamed Salah in 2015-16.

Roma have nine league games remaining as well as their upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Feyenoord, and Mourinho is hopeful of success on both fronts despite what he sees as squad limitations.

"The opponent that worries me the most in the Champions League fight? Ourselves, the fact that we want to think like a great team but we have a squad with limits," he said. 

"We have three games a week and it's hard for us, but I'm not capable of thinking small. We go ahead from game to game.

"I'm not able to say that Udinese is less important than Feyenoord – let's think game by game. Today we didn't score a second goal, otherwise the game would have been completely different."

Maurizio Sarri accepts Lazio's opening goal in Saturday's 2-1 win over Juventus could have been ruled out, but says the visitors were fortunate not to be reduced to nine men.

Lazio maintained their fine Serie A form with victory at Stadio Olimpico thanks to goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni, either side of Adrien Rabiot's equaliser.

Juve's players were furious Milinkovic-Savic's 38th-minute opener was allowed to stand as the midfielder nudged Alex Sandro in the back before controlling the ball and firing in.

But Sarri does not believe Juventus can complain too strongly as he feels Manuel Locatelli and Juan Cuadrado could easily have been sent off.

"From where I was, my impression is that the referee could have called for a foul," Sarri told DAZN. "But I also got the impression Juve could have ended with nine men.

"There was a Locatelli foul that was worthy of a red card and Cuadrado should have had a second yellow card. That was clear when he was substituted off straight after."

Referee Marco Di Bello allowed the goal to stand following a check of the pitchside monitor, seemingly adjudging that Alex Sandro went to ground too easily under contact.

Juve assistant coach Marco Landucci, who was standing in for the ill Massimiliano Allegri, did not want to dwell on the key call.

"The referee decides. Juve fans would say it was a foul, Lazio fans would say it wasn't, but the only opinion that matters is that of the referee," he said.

"All I can say is that our first half was below par, whereas we did much better after the break, deserved to score again and the draw would've been the fair result.

"As usual, we accept the result on the field. We don't stir up controversy over these things."

 

Rabiot bundled the ball over the line four minutes after Milinkovic-Savic's strike, but Zaccagni restored Lazio's lead early in the second half with what proved to be the winner.

The 27-year-old has reached double-figures for goals in a single Serie A season for the first time and is the only Italian to have scored 10 goals in the division this campaign.

Lazio's second home win against Juve in 18 attempts tightens their grip on second place in Serie A, which Zaccagni says gives him more joy than any individual milestones.

"They're both beautiful to hear, but second place is worth much more [than scoring 10 goals]," he said. "I always want to improve and hope to continue as I am.

"It's going to be very difficult staying second. There are many teams around us, so we have to stay focused and score as many points as possible between now and the end."

Juve conceded more than once away from home for the first time since mid-January, with this defeat leaving them eight points off the top four.

However, with an appeal against their 15-point deduction set to be held on April 19, the top-four battle may yet take another twist.

"It's hard to say much about this," Landucci said at his post-match press conference. "On the field, we've scored 59 points. Now we'll wait to hear the appeal on the 19th.

"Lazio now only have to focus on the league, so they have a clear advantage."

Lazio maintained their impressive run of form with a 2-1 win over Juventus at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to tighten their grip on second place in Serie A.

On a weekend in which Milan, Inter and Atalanta had all dropped points, Lazio took full advantage with an entertaining win over Juve, who remain eight points off the top four.

Adrien Rabiot cancelled out Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's opener in a frenetic end to the first half, with that sloppy goal ending Lazio's six-game run without conceding in the league.

But Mattia Zaccagni restored the hosts' lead eight minutes after the restart, and Lazio held on to move five points clear of third place, which is now occupied by rivals Roma.

Wojciech Szczesny produced a fine save to keep out Ciro Immobile's volley, but the Juventus goalkeeper could do little to deny Milinkovic-Savic from close range for Lazio's 38th-minute opener.

Referee Marco Di Bello allowed the goal to stand following a check of the pitchside monitor, despite the visitors arguing Milinkovic-Savic shoved Alex Sandro before controlling and firing in.

A member of Juve's backroom team was issued a red card and substitute Leonardo Bonucci cautioned for their protests, but Juve were level before half-time as Rabiot bundled in after Ivan Provedel had saved Bremer's initial header.

Lazio were back in front on 53 minutes through Zaccagni's first-time finish into the bottom-right corner after Luis Alberto brilliantly back-heeled the ball into his path in front of goal.

Massimiliano Allegri turned to Federico Chiesa and Arkadiusz Milik from the substitutes' bench, but Juve did not register a meaningful attempt in the second half as they failed to make up ground on the top four.

Juventus have been given a one-match partial stadium ban after their supporters racially abused Inter striker Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku was targeted by opposition fans before and after scoring a penalty in the fifth minute of added time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

The Belgium international was issued a second yellow card for putting his fingers to his lips to silence the Allianz Stadium crowd.

Serie A announced on Thursday that Juve must close the lower tier of the South Stand for their next home league game, which is against Napoli on April 23.

The judge overseeing the case stated that "the majority of the 5,034" spectators in that stand were guilty of racially abusing Lukaku.

Lukaku will still serve a one-match ban in the return fixture with Juve on April 26 for his sending off, which sparked a mass melee near full-time. 

Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and Juve midfielder Juan Cuadrado were both dismissed for their parts in the scuffle, and will serve one and three-game bans respectively.

Lukaku, who is on loan at San Siro from Chelsea, has been subjected to racism on numerous occasions in Italy and this week called for more serious action to be taken.

"History repeats. [I've] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again," he posted on his official social media channels.

"I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.

"Thank you for the supportive messages. F*** racism."

Juve intend to work closely with authorities to identify the fans responsible and issue bans.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned racist chants from Juventus fans towards Inter striker Romelu Lukaku during their Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

Lukaku scored a penalty in stoppage time to earn visitors Inter a 1-1 draw in Turin on Tuesday, duly celebrating by holding a finger to his lips in front of Juve supporters as a response to abuse.

The celebration was deemed provocative and the Belgian was sent off for a second bookable offence, with the incident leading to a confrontation between the two sets of players.

Lukaku released a statement on Wednesday demanding action from Italian authorities, which has been widely supported by other big names in the football world.

Infantino labelled the chants "unacceptable" and called for those responsible to be punished.

Infantino said: "Football has no place for racism or any form of discrimination.

"It is simply unacceptable to see the racist abuse aimed by spectators at Inter forward Romelu Lukaku during the Coppa Italia match at Juventus in Turin.

"FIFA and I stand with Romelu Lukaku, just as we do with any other player, coach, match official, fan or participant in a football match who has suffered from racism or any other form of discrimination.

"Victims of those abuses must be supported, and the perpetrators duly punished by all authorities.

"I repeat the call made earlier this year for fans to stand up and silence the racists.

"Equally, in football, we need to ensure that strict sporting sanctions are applied to address such incidents and to serve as a deterrent."

In Lukaku's message earlier in the day, he was keen to highlight how such incidents are recurring rather than isolated.

"History repeats. [I've] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again," he said via Instagram.

"I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.

"Thank you for the supportive messages. F*** racism."

His message has received support from the likes of Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe wrote on Instagram: "2023 and still the same problems. But we are not going to let you get away with it."

Inter striker Romelu Lukaku has called for action from Serie A officials after allegedly being targeted by racist chants from Juventus fans following his equaliser at the Allianz Stadium.

The Belgium international netted a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg, before using his finger to shush the home fans.

Referee Davide Massa booked Lukaku for the celebration and showed the goalscorer a second yellow card following a heated aftermath that spilled over past full-time, leading to Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also seeing red.

Lukaku pointed to his previous experiences of racism in Italy as he responded to the events with an Instagram post.

He said: "History repeats. [I've] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again.

"I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.

"Thank you for the supportive messages. F*** racism."

The post has received supportive comments from Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Mario Balotelli among others.

Jerome Boateng also tweeted in support, saying: "We'll always have your back Rom! F*** Racism!"

Earlier on Wednesday, Lukaku's agency ROC Nation Sports International also responded to the incident, calling for an apology from Juventus and action from Italian authorities.

Via a statement on Twitter, the agency's president Michael Yormark said: "The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.

"Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus, and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.

"The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment."

Romelu Lukaku's representatives have demanded an apology from Juventus and called on the Italian authorities to take action after their client suffered "despicable" racist abuse.

Inter forward Lukaku netted a 95th-minute penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg between the two Serie A heavyweights.

However, Lukaku subsequently received a second yellow card after his celebration, which included holding a finger up to his lips in a "shushing" gesture to Juve's fans, resulted in a melee between the teams. Juve winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also saw red.

Lukaku's agency, Roc Nation Sports International, said the 29-year-old had been subject to racist abuse from sections of the home fanbase in Turin.

In a statement shared on Twitter, Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark wrote: "The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.

"Romelu scored a penalty in the game. Before, during and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse.

"Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee's response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.

"Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus, and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.

"The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment."

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi also came to the forward's defence.

"I see a player who scores, celebrates, and everything happens there. Lukaku's celebration was misunderstood," he said.

"It certainly wasn't a nice sight to see in a well-conducted and fair match until the 94th minute."

On Wednesday, Inter tweeted: "We are brothers and sisters of the world. Since 9 March 1908, this has been our story.

"We want to firmly reiterate that we stand united against racism and all forms of discrimination."

Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.

The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.

The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.

 

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION

With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.

Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.

Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.

Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.

– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.

Simone Inzaghi defended the "misunderstood" Romelu Lukaku celebrations after the Inter striker sparked late carnage at Juventus on Tuesday.

Loanee forward Lukaku restored parity with a 95th-minute penalty at Allianz Stadium, leaving Inter on level terms after a 1-1 Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg draw.

The Belgium international celebrated in front of Juve's Curva Nord, immediately prompting a confrontation with Juan Cuadrado that saw Lukaku receive his marching orders for a second yellow card.

Cuadrado, who scored the 83rd-minute opener, was then dismissed for a clash with Inter captain Samir Handanovic after the full-time whistle as tempers continued to boil over in Turin.

Inzaghi insisted Lukaku's reaction was understandable, though, as the Inter coach bemoaned losing his key forward and goalkeeper Handanovic to suspension.

Asked whether Lukaku's celebration was towards the crowd, Inzaghi told Mediaset: "Yes. This was clear, but it goes beyond this.

"I see a player who scores, celebrates, and everything happens there. Lukaku's celebration was misunderstood.

"It certainly wasn't a nice sight to see in a well-conducted and fair match until the 94th minute.

"[But] now I have to be clear-headed and think that for the return semi-final. Lukaku's celebration will deprive me of him and Handanovic."

Juve goalkeeper Mattia Perin was left far from impressed by what he deemed to be a disrespectful act by Lukaku, who appeared to shush a section of Bianconeri supporters behind the goal.

"We have to be the first to set an example, but in these games it's difficult to hold back," Perin told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's a lack of respect to celebrate under the Curva of the opposing team."

A hard-fought draw somewhat halted Inter's slide, having headed to Juve on the back of three straight Serie A defeats that have left the Nerazzurri's top-four place in doubt.

Inter are level on points with fifth-placed Roma and just six clear of Juve despite their 15-point deduction, but Inzaghi is buoyed by the support of the Nerazzurri faithful.

He said: "Our supporters are unique and incomparable. We lost a home game on Saturday, and up to the end, the Curva never left us.

"We are Inter, it's normal to expect different results. There was a call for everyone that we expect more and better. Tonight was a great response from players to the whole environment."

Massimiliano Allegri was left to rue an "avoidable situation" as Romelu Lukaku's last-gasp leveller for Inter left Juventus "very angry" on Tuesday.

Lukaku equalised with a 95th-minute penalty at Allianz Stadium to cancel out Juan Cuadrado's 83rd-minute opener in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

Chaotic scenes followed as Lukaku was dismissed for his celebrations after restoring parity, while Cuadrado and Inter captain Samir Handanovic received their marching orders for a clash after full-time.

While Allegri suggested he missed the carnage unfolding after the full-time whistle, the Juve coach called on the Bianconeri players to regroup after an avoidable late goal for Simone Inzaghi's visitors.

He told Mediaset: "I don't know anything because the match was over and I went in. I know there were some dismissals.

"It's a pity because the game was over and we needed to be quicker on the first ball that came out.

"[Filip] Kostic could have been a little smarter but the match was balanced and the result was fair. We're sorry because with 20 seconds to go it was an avoidable situation.

"I saw the boys very angry about this draw but we have to be good at accepting it."

Juve will head to San Siro on April 26 with the last-four clash finely poised, though Allegri's side must focus on a crucial run-in this month before then.

The Bianconeri visit Lazio in Serie A on Sunday, trailing the top four by just six points despite their 15-point deduction following an investigation into previous transfer dealings.

A two-legged Europa League quarter-final against Sporting CP follows either side of a league meeting with Sassuolo, before Juve host Serie A leaders Napoli ahead of the return Coppa Italia meeting with Inter.

Asked in a press conference whether Lukaku's late leveller will hit harder due to Inter holding the advantage on away goals, Allegri responded: "We have that match in a month, now we have important commitments. 

"We have three league games before the return plus Sporting. We'll think about the Coppa Italia later. 

"It will be a tight match where we will need to win, but now we need to focus on the championship."

Romelu Lukaku scored a last-gasp penalty before being sent off as Inter snatched a 1-1 draw at Juventus in a fiery Coppa Italia semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

Loan forward Lukaku restored parity for Inter deep into stoppage time at Allianz Stadium after Bremer was adjudged to have handled inside his area, before the goalscorer was dismissed for an altercation with Juan Cuadrado.

Cuadrado, who earlier thought he had won the game with his 83rd-minute strike, also saw red after the final whistle along with Inter captain Samir Handanovic following a clash between the pair.

The manic conclusion leaves the tie delicately poised as Inter return home on April 26 looking to reach the final and exact revenge for being on the wrong end of a Derby d'Italia double in Serie A this season.

Massimiliano Allegri insists Juventus will not underestimate Inter despite the Nerazzurri being in free fall.

The two teams meet on Tuesday in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals, less than three weeks since they last met in Serie A.

On that occasion, a Filip Kostic goal helped Juventus to a 1-0 victory in an ill-tempered encounter that saw both sides end with 10 men on the pitch.

That result contributed to a four-game winless streak for Inter, but despite their troubles, Allegri still sees Simone Inzaghi's side as a serious threat.

"It's a different competition, but it's always Juventus [versus] Inter," he said. "We must create the conditions in order to qualify.

"It's not an easy game. Inter remain a strong side, regardless of the moment [they are in]. Actually, it is in these moments that we have to keep our attention.

"Too much praise for Juventus could lead us to lose touch with reality. We face a strong team, physically and technically. They have lost a few games, [but] we need to pay attention."

On the under-fire Inzaghi, who has led both Lazio and Inter to Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana success as a coach, Allegri believes his record speaks for itself.

"I think Inzaghi is doing a great job," he added. "Inter are a strong team regardless of their moment. It's dangerous to meet these teams now. We need to be fully focused."

Allegri confirmed the availability of Federico Chiesa and offered a positive update on Paul Pogba's ongoing recovery.

"[Chiesa] is available. He had his knee checked in Austria. He has this tendon inflammation, but he's feeling better and he'll improve. He is available and he’ll go on the bench.

"Paul Pogba has partially trained with the team. From Wednesday, he will stay with the team more and work to improve his shape."

Adrien Rabiot is "very focused" on Juventus, despite reports linking him with a return to Paris Saint-Germain.

The France international has been heavily linked with a move away from Turin, with his contract with the Bianconeri due to expire in June.

Former club PSG are reportedly interested in re-signing the midfielder, who won five Ligue 1 titles and racked up over 200 appearances during his first spell with the French giants between 2010 and 2019.

But the 27-year-old's immediate attention is on ensuring a strong end to the 2022-23 campaign with Juve who, despite a 15-point deduction, are just four points outside the top four.

When asked about the reported PSG interest, he told Telefoot: "Honestly, there is nothing special. I hear a lot of noise. I know that many people are interested in it.

"But I repeat: I am very focused on this end of the season with Juventus."

Rabiot is Juventus' second-top scorer in Serie A this season with seven goals, a tally bettered only by Dusan Vlahovic (eight).

The central midfielder has also registered three assists in the Italian top flight, with only Filip Kostic (eight) and Angel Di Maria (four) recording more for the Bianconeri.

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