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FC Porto striker Moussa Marega leaves ground after racist chants

AFP
Lisbon, Lisboa, PortugalUpdated: Feb 18, 2020, 03:51 PM IST
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FC Porto's Malian forward Moussa Marega (C) reacts and attempts to leave the pitch after hearing racists chants as FC Porto's Brazilian defender Alex Telles tries to stop him during the Portuguese league football match between Vitoria Guimaraes SC and FC Porto at the Dom Alfonso Henriques stadium in Guimaraes on February 16, 2020. Photograph:(AFP)

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"I felt like shit, it was a huge embarrassment for me, it affected me," Marega said.

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off the pitch after racist chants by the opposition fans during the match against Vitoria de Guimaraes on Sunday.

Marega left the pitch despite scoring the match-winning goal. FC Porto's players tried to console the Malian player, but the 28-year-old pushed his teammates aside to leave the ground.

Moussa Marega was playing against his former club as he played on loan for Vitoria during the 2016-2017 season. After his goal in the 60th minute, a section of the crowd threw objects at the player. According to reports, monkey chants were heard in the stadium.

"I felt like shit, it was a huge embarrassment for me, it affected me," Marega said.

"It started during the warm-up, but during the warm-up, it was just three people.

"Three people shouting monkey chants and racist insults I think it happens to everyone in the world of football.

"When it's just three people you don't care. When it's a whole stadium, it's impossible to stay on the pitch."

In the 69th minute, Moussa looked distressed and he was substituted after he walked off the field.

While walking out the Porto striker showed middle fingers to the section of the crowd as he was being booed off the ground.

"With all the insults I received, with the monkey chants targeted at me, I couldn't stay on the pitch," Marega told French radio station RMC.

"You can't stay like that and keep playing a match when people mock your skin colour."

Portuguese police are said to be looking into the matter, they said is taking the necessary steps to identify the suspects who committed the criminal offences and administrative offences.