Pescara midfielder Sulley Muntari left the field of play during the Delfini’s Serie A fixture with Cagliari, in protest against racist abuse he suffered from the supporters.
Muntari initially identified the individuals responsible and approached the stand to confront them, before reporting the issue to referee Daniele Minelli.
Minelli instead showed a yellow card to the Ghanaian for dissent, which prompted the former AC Milan and Inter player to leave the pitch.
“You all saw what happened,” Muntari said immediately after the game. “The fans were chanting all first-half — there was even a child doing it with his parents nearby.
“I even gave him my shirt to teach him that he shouldn’t do these things,” he added. “It is important to act as an example and help him grow.
Pescara coach Zdenek Zeman stood with his player and called on the those in charge in Italian football to take action.
“Muntari asked the referee to intervene, but he did not do it,” Zeman said after the game. “We talk so much about racism, but then we just move on.
“This happened to Muntari who has played in Italy for several years – we want to change the mentality,” he added.
“He left the field because of the chants, but we should not have to take justice into our own hands.”
Pescara played out the remainder of the game with 10 men and fell to a 1-0 defeat.
