European football’s Governing body Uefa has started disciplinary proceedings against Italian Serie A side Atalanta following allegations of monkey chants from the side’s fans during the UEFA Europa League tie last week with German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
Atalanta fans charged
Borussia Dortmund’s Belgium international striker Michy Batshuayi, on loan from Premier League Champions Chelsea, suggested after the return leg of the last-32 encounter in Italy that he was allegedly racially abused.
The football Governing body in Europe confirmed Yesterday that the Italian side faced charges of racist behavior – monkey chants, throwing of objects, setting-off of fireworks, and blocking stairways, while Borussia Dortmund were also charged for throwing objects and setting-off of fireworks.
Batman tweeted
The striker last week took to popular social media site Twitter to condemn the Atalanta fans’ actions.
Mitchy tweeted: “2018 and still racists monkey noises in the stands … really?!
“Hope you have fun watching the rest of EuropaLeague on TV while we are through #SayNoToRacism #GoWatchBlackPanther.”
The Association’s control, ethics and disciplinary committee will on March 22 deal with the case.
The forward played the full 90 minutes of the second leg tie last Thursday as substitute Marcel Schmelzer equalized in the 82nd-minute to salvage a 1-1 draw on that evening which sent the German side into the next round- last 16 with a 4-3 win on aggregate.
