FC Porto forward Moussa Marega was reportedly the target of racist abuse after winning in a league match against Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal’s Primeira Liga on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Mali forward scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 60th minute and celebrated the goal by pointing to his skin in response to a section of the home fans who had targeted him throughout the match.
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However, due to his action, Marega was shown a yellow card by the referee and after the abuse continued he tried to leave the pitch, pointing his thumbs down to the crowd.
Porto coach Sergio Conceicao was eventually forced to substitute Marega in the 72nd minute.
“We are completely indignant,” Conceicao told reporters.
“They insulted Marega since the warm up. We are all a family here, regardless of our nationality, skin color, height or the color of our hair and we all deserve respect. What happened here is outrageous.
“I know the fans here are very passionate about their club and many fans are not represented by some of the people who were in the crowd today.”
Marega later posted a message on Instagram calling the supporters who targeted him as “idiots” and also insulting the match referee, Luis Godinho.
He said: “I’d also like to show my thanks to the referee who did not defend me and who gave me a yellow card for defending the colour of my skin.
“I hope I never meet you on a football pitch ever again. You are a disgrace,”
Porto’s director of communications, Francisco Marques wrote on his Twitter account: “Marega was fed up and left the pitch and FC Porto was forced to make a substitution due to racism.”
The league’s organizing body Liga Portugal condemned the chants.
The statement read:”Liga Portugal does not agree and never will with acts of racism, xenophobia or intolerance that jeopardize the dignity of soccer players or any human beings,
Liga Portugal will do everything to ensure that this episode and all other racist incidents do not go unpunished.
We believe this is a fight where your team’s colors do not matter and everyone must come together to eradicate this scourge on the game.”
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