Rome (AFP)
AC Milan are "ready to defend" Zlatan Ibrahimovic should he face disciplinary proceedings for racism after his altercation this week with Belgian Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku, Paolo Maldini assured Saturday , technical director of Rossoneri.
"It was a sad episode, not a pretty sight, but it stops there. We are ready to defend our player if racism should be mentioned, it has nothing to do with Ibra," Maldini assured Sky Sport before the kick-off of the match in Bologna on Saturday.
"He defended his teammates attacked by Lukaku for no reason," said the ex-international defender.
Ibrahimovic and Lukaku clashed very strongly, front to front, just before half-time for the derby on Tuesday in the quarter-final of the Italian Cup (1-2).
Among the insults exchanged between the two players, the Swede was notably accused of referring to the Congolese origins of the Belgian international, evoking voodoo beliefs.
“Ibra” however defended himself Wednesday by assuring “that there is (vait) no place for racism in the world of Zlatan”.
The two players were warned by the referee during this altercation, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was even excluded in the second half for a second warning after a foul.
Both will be suspended for their team's next Italian Cup match: Ibrahimovic because of his red and Lukaku because of this second yellow in two matches.
The Belgian will therefore be suspended for the semi-final first leg next Tuesday against Juventus Turin (return on February 9).
In addition to these automatic disciplinary sanctions, this altercation may also give rise to the opening of specific disciplinary proceedings by the Italian federation, which took up the case.
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