Juventus fined after schoolchildren abuse Udinese goalkeeper
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Juventus have been hit with a €5,000 fine after schoolchildren who were invited to watch a Serie A game against Udinese at the weekend insulted the opposition goalkeeper.
The Bianconeri allowed more than 12,000 children to fill the stands at both ends of the Juventus Stadium after the club's ultras had been banned for the fixture.
The match would have been played behind closed doors following discriminatory chants during a match with Napoli earlier this season, but Juventus prevented that scenario by offering free tickets to young fans, which was applauded by many.
However, the move backfired as the children shouted abuse at Udinese goalkeeper Željko Brkić every time he took a goal-kick.
Brkić made a number of fine saves throughout the game before Fernando Llorente scored the winner in stoppage time to hand Juve a 1-0 triumph.
"I wanted to say something right after the game because it bothered me but I didn't want to put any oil on the fire and I decided to stay quiet," Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin told Italian media.
"For a club such as Juventus where everything is beautiful, in particular where the stadium gives you the idea that you are not in Italy, it is really troublesome to hear those words every time the goalkeeper puts the ball into play."
Aside from those chants, the children were generally on good behaviour, and Juventus have suggested they could repeat the special offer the next time the ultras are banned.
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| Thousands of children take up the curve where the Juventus ultras usually stand Photo: Getty Images |
The Bianconeri allowed more than 12,000 children to fill the stands at both ends of the Juventus Stadium after the club's ultras had been banned for the fixture.
The match would have been played behind closed doors following discriminatory chants during a match with Napoli earlier this season, but Juventus prevented that scenario by offering free tickets to young fans, which was applauded by many.
However, the move backfired as the children shouted abuse at Udinese goalkeeper Željko Brkić every time he took a goal-kick.
Brkić made a number of fine saves throughout the game before Fernando Llorente scored the winner in stoppage time to hand Juve a 1-0 triumph.
"I wanted to say something right after the game because it bothered me but I didn't want to put any oil on the fire and I decided to stay quiet," Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin told Italian media.
"For a club such as Juventus where everything is beautiful, in particular where the stadium gives you the idea that you are not in Italy, it is really troublesome to hear those words every time the goalkeeper puts the ball into play."
Aside from those chants, the children were generally on good behaviour, and Juventus have suggested they could repeat the special offer the next time the ultras are banned.
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