"Racist insults to Davis", what happened: Udinese attacks, Cagliari responds. Zaniolo tough
An alleged racism case broke out at the end of the Serie A match Cagliari-Udinese played this afternoon and ended with a 2-0 result for the Friulians. During the match Keinan Davis reported to the referee that he had been insulted in a discriminatory way by an opponent, Alberto Dossena of Cagliari: the episode had sparked tension on the field.
After the match, the Udinese player raised the tone with a very harsh post on Instagram: “This racist coward called me a monkey during today’s match. I hope Serie A will do something, but we’ll see.”
Udinese sided with him: “Udinese Calcio expresses utmost solidarity and full support to Keinan Davis who was the object of shameful racist insults by a player of the opposing team during this afternoon’s match. The Club reiterates its firm condemnation of such deplorable acts that seriously damage the image and values of the sport we love. Udinese Calcio will protect Keinan in all venues and hopes for a speedy definition of the incident by the organs of sports justice in which it has full confidence.”
Cagliari instead defended Dossena: “Cagliari Calcio learns with surprise and deep disappointment the communiqué issued by Udinese Calcio at the end of today’s match. The Club reiterates with absolute firmness that its values, history and sports culture leave no room for any form of discrimination, racism or violence, be it verbal or physical. Any behavior contrary to respect for the person and the principles of sport always deserves the strongest condemnation. What happened on the field was clarified at the end of the match in full respect of the truth of the facts, as the alleged incident had not found any objective confirmation.”
Also attacking Dossena was Davis’ teammate Zaniolo: “The colleague (if one can call him such) who today allowed himself to insult my children, and insult my teammate because of his skin color should be ashamed and no longer tread the soccer fields,” he wrote on Instagram.
In the evening, Dossena himself responded with a post: “Being accused of racism saddens and hurts me. It is a very heavy accusation, never would it cross my mind to address another person, a colleague with such an insult. This is the first time I have ever had such a situation in which I have to defend myself against an infamous accusation. Such behavior is as far from my culture and education as I can get.”
