The Serie A encounter between Fiorentina and Juventus on Saturday was briefly halted after sections of the home crowd aimed extended racist and discriminatory chants at Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović.
The interruptions began early in the match, with the stadium announcer issuing a formal warning in the 11th minute, urging Fiorentina supporters to stop the abuse directed at the Serbian forward, who previously played for the Viola before his acrimonious move to Juventus in January 2022.
Tensions escalated shortly after when Juventus was awarded a penalty in the 14th minute. The decision—initially given after Pablo Mari appeared to drag down Vlahović—was later overturned following a VAR review. As the referee prepared to resume play, a fresh wave of insults erupted from the stands, forcing him to intervene once again.
Before allowing the restart, the referee instructed Fiorentina captain Gianluca Mancini to address the crowd and appeal for an immediate halt to the discriminatory chanting.
Saturday’s incident marks the third consecutive season in which Vlahović has been subjected to racist abuse at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, underscoring Serie A’s ongoing struggle to eradicate discriminatory behaviour from the terraces.
The match eventually ended in a 1-1 draw, with Filip Kostić opening the scoring for Juventus before Rolando Mandragora equalised for Fiorentina soon after halftime.
Racism continues to cast a long shadow over world football, with several recent incidents underscoring the sport’s ongoing struggle to eliminate discriminatory behaviour. In England, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo was subjected to racist abuse during a Premier League match at Anfield, prompting an immediate stoppage and widespread condemnation.
Across Europe, games in Germany and Spain have also been halted after players such as Christopher Antwi-Adjei and Maroan Sannadi reported racial slurs from the stands. Even legal action has become more common, highlighted by the suspended prison sentences handed to Real Valladolid fans for abusing Vinícius Júnior — a landmark ruling that recognized such acts as hate crimes.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has faced repeated abuse, further exposing the limitations of existing protocols. These incidents reflect a troubling continental trend, as football authorities face mounting pressure to impose harsher penalties and take stronger, unified action to finally drive racism out of the game.
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