Former Manchester City & Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli tried to walk off the pitch after suffering racist abuse playing for Brescia at Verona in Serie A.
Television pictures showed the former Manchester City and Liverpool forward pick up the ball and kick it into the stands before making to leave the pitch in the 54th minute of the match.
He was convinced to stay by team-mates, Verona players and officials before referee Maurizio Mariani initiated the anti-racism protocol.
The game was temporarily suspended while a message was read out by the stadium announcer warning that the match would be abandoned if further racist abuse was to occur.
📽️ Troubling scenes in Italy where Mario Balotelli tried to walk off the pitch after suffering racist abuse...
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) November 3, 2019
🚀 He was persuaded to stay on & later scored a belter, but should the game have continued? pic.twitter.com/RCVL32xcbo
As the game continued, Balotelli scored a late goal for Brescia, who lost 2-1.
Balotelli has previously said that he would walk off the pitch if he suffered racist abuse again, having previously been targeted while playing for AC Milan.
It was the second time such a protocol has been followed in Serie A this weekend after the match between Roma and Napoli was briefly halted when territorial chants were directed at the Napoli supporters.
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