Contrasting evening for Moussa Marega. While he had given the advantage to his team, Sunday February 16, by scoring the goal of 2-1 (60th) - the final score - against Vitória Guimarães, the Franco-Malian striker of FC Porto decided to leave the field ten minutes later (71st), victim of racist cries.

The 28-year-old had been targeted before the match even started, according to his coach Sérgio Conceição, who pointed to "the attitude of some people who insulted Moussa during the warm-up".

Then, when he scored his goal, Moussa Marega celebrated it with one of the stadium's black seats that had previously been thrown from the stands. A celebration that earned him a yellow card from the referee, before a handful of minutes later the player decides to leave the field, exasperated by the racist chants and the monkey cries he heard.

🇵🇹 Exasperated, angry, not calmed by his teammates or by the words of his coach Sergio Conceiçao, Moussa Marega left the field in the 71st minute, under the bronca of the Guimaraes stadium, following racist shouts against him . pic.twitter.com/01EHDMkV4Q

- RMC Sport (@RMCsport) February 16, 2020

Some of his teammates and some opposing players tried to dissuade him, but the player nevertheless returned to the locker room a few minutes later, escorted by members of the Porto technical staff. He was eventually replaced by Wilson Manafa.

>> To see: "Homophobia, racism ... When should we whistle the end of the match?"

Former player of Vitória Guimarães (2016-2017), the Malian international striker, born in Ulis (suburb of Paris), entered the tunnel leading to the locker room by pointing his two thumbs down then his two middle fingers up in sign of disapproval towards the stands of the Guimarães stadium.

"I hope I will never see you again on a football field!"

"I would just say to these idiots who come to the stadium to utter racist cries: go fuck yourself. And I also thank the referees for not protecting me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin color, "Moussa Marega wrote on her Instagram account on Sunday evening, with emoticons representing fingers of honor.

"I hope I will never see you again on a football field! You are a shame!" Added the insulted player, in capital letters.

"We are completely outraged by what happened. We know the passion that exists at Vitória and I think that most fans do not recognize themselves in the attitude of some people," said Sérgio Conceição, l coach of FC Porto after the match.

"We are a family, regardless of nationality, skin or hair color. We are all human, we deserve respect. What has happened here is dismal," he added. The coach also posted a photo on social media, with the following message: "We are all Moussa."

Vitória Guimarães and the Portuguese football federation have not yet reacted to this scandal.

The Sporting Portugal club, meanwhile, issued a press release to support the player and "repudiate any act of racism or social prejudice".

With AFP

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