27 January 2021

Zlatan Ibrahimovic sends anti-racism message after showdown with Romelu Lukaku

27 January 2021

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted there is no place for racism in his world after becoming involved in an angry showdown with former Manchester United team-mate Romelu Lukaku.

The pair clashed during Tuesday night’s Coppa Italia quarter-final between AC Milan and derby rivals Inter.

Ibrahimovic was picked up on pitchside microphones seemingly saying “go do your voodoo” to Lukaku, in an apparent reference to comments made by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri in 2018 that the striker had decided to move from Goodison Park after getting a “voodoo message”.

The Belgian sought legal advice about those claims.

Ibrahimovic tweeted on Wednesday: “In ZLATAN’s world there is no place for RACISM. We are all the same race – we are all equal !! We are all PLAYERS some better than others.”

The spat occurred on the half-time whistle at the San Siro with the two men going head-to-head after the Swede had laughed in the former Chelsea and Everton frontman’s face.

Both were cautioned and Ibrahimovic was sent off for a second bookable offence 13 minutes after the break, with Milan boss Stefano Pioli later revealing he has apologised to his team-mates for his premature exit.

The 39-year-old had earlier given his side a 31st-minute lead, but Lukaku levelled from the penalty spot following his departure and Christian Eriksen won it for Inter at the death.

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