Lukaku: Players need to take response to racism into our own hands

Inter striker Romelu Lukaku does not intend to leave a response to racism in football to the authorities, citing players’ protests in the Eredivisie as an example for Serie A stars.

A number of incidents of racist abuse in stadiums have marred Italian football in recent seasons, with Lukaku, Mario Balotelli and Miralem Pjanic among the targets.

Lukaku has repeatedly been outspoken on the issue, and the Belgium international is keen for players to lead a riposte to discrimination.

Eredivisie matches were paused for a minute in November in protest after Excelsior winger Ahmad Mendes Moreira was subjected to abuse at Den Bosch, giving Lukaku food for thought.

“For me, Italy is a beautiful country to live in,” the former Manchester United man told Sky Sports.

“Italy has such a potential to be a great league like it used to, but we have to work together to keep those ignorant people out of the stadium.

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“It happened in Holland as well, when I watched a game in the second division.

“I spoke to the guy that it happened to where they stopped the games for one minute, I spoke to the guy and said, ‘You did well to walk off the pitch and to celebrate in front of those ignorant people’.

“I think we need to take things into our own hands. I don’t think we should leave it to the federations.

“Holland did a great job, they did a fantastic job with all of their players. Sometimes in other countries we, as players, have to take matters into our own hands.”