Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic was subjected to racist abuse from Fiorentina supporters during Sunday’s dramatic 2-2 Serie A draw, forcing referee Maurizio Mariani to temporarily suspend the match.
The Serbian forward, who joined Juventus from Fiorentina in January 2022, endured repeated offensive chants from sections of the home crowd throughout his return to Florence.
Softfootball understands the referee halted play for seven minutes while stadium announcements urged supporters to stop the discriminatory behaviour before the match resumed.
Despite the intervention, Vlahovic continued to receive hostile treatment for the remainder of the contest before being substituted in the 82nd minute.
On the pitch, Juventus appeared to be heading for victory after Khephren Thuram scored twice to cancel out Fiorentina’s early lead. However, Riccardo Sottil struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a valuable point for the hosts.
The incident has once again raised concerns about racism in Italian football, with authorities expected to review reports from match officials before deciding whether disciplinary action will be taken against Fiorentina. Football governing bodies have repeatedly pledged a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviour inside stadiums.
