Court suspends Verona stadium closure in Balotelli case

Brescia'a Mario Balotelli, center, walks on the pitch during the Serie A soccer match between Brescia and Torino at the Mario Rigamonti Stadium in Brescia, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (Filippo Venezia/ANSA via AP)

Brescia's Mario Balotelli, right, walks on the pitch during the Serie A soccer match between Brescia and Torino at the Mario Rigamonti Stadium in Brescia, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (Filippo Venezia/ANSA via AP)

November 21, 2019

The ruling means Verona fans will be allowed in to the "poltrone est" — the sector where the chants came from — for Sunday’s match against Fiorentina. Balotelli, a striker for Brescia, threatened to leave the field because of the racist chants directed at him by Verona fans during a match earlier this month. The game was suspended for several minutes.

Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina, who had applauded the decision by the Serie A judge to close the stadium partially, said he was “very disappointed” with the decision by the appeals court.

Verona had appealed the decision. Meanwhile, Balotelli was reportedly sent off from a Brescia training session Thursday by coach Fabio Grosso for lack of dedication.

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Subjects
- Sports,
- Professional soccer,
- Soccer,
- Men's soccer
People
- Mario Barrett,
- Fabio Grosso
Locations
- Italy,
- Western Europe,
- Europe
Organisations
- Hellas Verona FC,
- Serie A