Breaking: Verona ultras leader handed 10-year stadium ban after Balotelli incident
On Sunday evening, Mario Balotelli was racially abused by the Verona ultras, to the point where he decided to kick the ball towards the fans. The play was halted by the referee and the stadium announcer read an anti-racism message.
In the aftermath of the game, the leader of the Verona ultras Luca Castellini stated that Balotelli 'will never truly be an Italian', while also saying that Verona 'also have a negro on the pitch, and he was applauded by our fans'.
In their statement, the club distanced themselves from these claims: "Hellas Verona FC announces that it has adopted a disqualification measure against Mr. Luca Castellini, who expressed opinions that are seriously contrary to those that distinguish the ethical principles and values of our club. A suspension has been handed to the subject until 30 June 2030," part of the statement read.