Bonucci: 'Kneel? All anti-racists'

While the Europe of football is divided on who kneels against racism, who condemns him standing up and who refuses any explicit gesture, the question also comes in blue. "We are against racism and discrimination. To date, I do not think there is a request from UEFA to take an initiative, it is a free choice of the Federations. On the part of everyone there is a position against racism", he said. said captain Leonardo Bonucci, who in the past has performed in an equidistance bearer of controversy, for example the racist howls at Moise Kean and on the subject also had disagreements with Mario Balotelli. This time the Juventus defender appeared much more comfortable answering the other questions. Yet the question of how to take a stand against racism,it is hot in the retreats in these first days of the new itinerant European, with Uefa that has openly supported the players who kneel.

    In past years, when Balotelli was blue and some ultras had shouted 'there are no Italian blacks', the national team had tightened around the attacker. If anything, the impatience of the blue group was due to attitudes of protagonism ("enough talking about Balotelli", Bonucci said in 2019). And perhaps also for this reason Bonucci - in spite of the accusations via social media by the French fans of being non-inclusive after Kean's failure to call -, chooses a line of caution.

    Meanwhile, England have decided to continue kneeling, despite the whistles of their fans. And if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on the public to support the team rather than boo it, his Interior Minister, Priti Patel, objected that it was a "political" gesture. The Scots have long been raising the message against discrimination and racism by standing up, but in the crossroads with the British they will get down on their knees in solidarity with them.

    Even Daniele Orsato, the only Italian referee at Euro 2020, did so before the match between England and Croatia, which is instead one of the coldest national teams on the subject, like Russia (in St. Petersburg the Belgians on their knees were booed ).

    L' European promises other twists on the subject.