Ferrara hits out at Juve fans over stand closure

Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara criticised his club’s own fans following the Italian sporting justice’s decision to enforce a partial stand closure on the misfiring Turin giants.

Juve’s South Stand at the Stadio Olimpico will be closed for next weekend’s match at home to Roma after fans chanted racial slurs against Inter Milan forward Mario Balotelli — an Italian of Ghanaian origin — during Wednesday’s Coppa Italia victory over Napoli.

It was the third time this season that fans had chanted such slogans about the teenager.

And Ferrara, whose job is under scrutiny after six defeats in Juve’s last nine matches, hit out at Italian fans in general.

“I’m against every type of racism and violence. Unfortunately we live in a football culture related to results. If you win all goes well, if you don’t you have problems,” said Ferrara, whose side visit Chievo on Sunday.

“That’s how it works for the team. With regard to the fans, unfortunately we are backward, they think more about offending their opponents than supporting their own team.

“In England there are teams that get relegated and the players go to the stands to get a standing ovation from the fans. When we arrive at that we’ll have taken a great step forwards.

“Playing without one stand (around 5,000 people out of a stadium that holds less than 30,000) against Roma is a defeat for everyone.

“The club has done everything to stop this kind of behaviour from the fans but Italian rules penalise the club.”

Despite Wednesday’s 3-0 win against a second-string Napoli in the cup, Ferrara insisted it was too early to start believing his team has turned a corner.

Having begun the season harbouring hopes of winning the title, they now find themselves bogged down in the battle for Champions League football next season.

They are third, 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan but with four teams within just one victory of them.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves but also the group of teams around us,” said Ferrara.

“It’s too early to say that we’re back after that win over Napoli. I’ve asked the team to be humble and careful.”

Ferrara also revealed that new loan signing Michele Paolucci could even begin Sunday’s match.

Paolucci began his career with Juve’s youth team before moving on to Ascoli, Udinese, Atalanta and Catania.

He started this season with Siena and despite playing only a bit-part role he is back with the Turin giants and filling in for injured forwards David Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta.