Wednesday 3 April 2019 22:33, UK
Yaya Toure has branded comments from Leonardo Bonucci and Massimiliano Allegri regarding the racist abuse suffered by Juventus forward Moise Kean as “a disgrace”.
Kean was subjected to racist abuse, including monkey chants, from the stands as the Serie A leaders won 2-0 at Cagliari.
The 19-year-old took a stance of defiance after scoring a late second goal as he stood arms aloft in response to the chants.
Kean's team-mate, Italy international Leonardo Bonucci, provoked outrage by suggesting Kean was wrong for provoking the home fans.
He said: "There were racist jeers after the goal, Blaise [Matuidi] heard it and was angered. I think the blame is 50-50, because Moise shouldn't have celebrated like that, and the Curva (stand) should not have reacted that way."
Juventus manager Allegri felt the teenager should have risen above the chants.
"He shouldn't have celebrated in that manner," Allegri said, before calling for those responsible to be handed lifetime bans.
Toure was the subject of racist chanting while playing for Manchester City when he played against CSKA Moscow in 2013.
Earlier this week he called for FIFA and UEFA to impose firmer punishments to combat the problem.
On Wednesday, the 35-year-old Ivorian appeared at UEFA's Equal Game conference and demanded to know what steps the Italian FA plans to take to punish those who racially abused Kean.
Toure began his speech by asking: "I want to know if the Italian FA is here today?"
When it was confirmed Italian FA representatives were present at the conference, Toure added: "I want to see what the Italian FA is going to do about that.
"It's really important because this is what we're fighting for. I want to see what the response is."
"I want to see what the Italian FA is going to do about that. It's really important because this is what we're fighting for. I want to see what the response is."
Toure was also hugely critical of Bonucci and Allegri for apportioning any blame whatsoever to Kean.
"For me it's a disgrace. You can't do that," Toure said. "It was unbelievable. A team-mate, a manager saying: 'You shouldn't have done that' to one of your own players.
"I think it's the worst scenario you can have in football. Your team-mate attacking you, saying things like that, is just unbelievable. I can't imagine how hurt he was when he saw that."
While Kean was criticised by Allegri and Bonucci for his goal celebration, Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini insisted he did nothing wrong.
"Moise is an asset to Italian football, a golden boy who is doing his best and he doesn't have to pretend to be something he's not," Chiellini told the club's official website on Wednesday.
"I don't really remember what happened while I was on the pitch, but I've seen the pictures of Moise and he didn't do anything wrong.
"You have to think of him like people do [Nicolo] Zaniolo, [Federico] Chiesa, [Nicolo] Barella... as a positive representation of Italian football, because he deserves that status.
"The only thing he got wrong yesterday was the dive, which I'm sure he won't repeat, but he's here to learn. He's a very positive person and certainly didn't deserve the insults he received."
