please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Manchester City have lodged an official complaint to Uefa after alleged racial abuse to some of their players during Thursday's Europa League game at Porto. City won 2-1 at the Estadio do Drago, but after the game the club revealed that Mario Balotelli had mentioned to officials about chants from the stands. Team-mate Yaya Toure told Sky Sports News: "I heard something. "That's why we like the Premier League, it never happens there. Maybe other countries don't expect black players." Tournament organisers Uefa said they were still waiting for reports from their match delegates, which are usually received one or two days after each match, before deciding whether to take any action. BBC Radio 5 live reported that, at half-time, Manchester City media officers had informed them that they suspected that midfielder Yaya Toure and striker Balotelli had been the subject of racial abuse from certain home sections of the crowd. In the 78th minute, when City substituted Balotelli, whistling and booing reached a crescendo. After the game it was revealed that Balotelli had told a club official he had been subject to racial abuse from the stands. In the post-match press conference, Mancini insisted that the chanting had not disturbed him. "I didn't hear the noise, because I was concentrating on the game," he said. Analysis John Murray BBC Radio 5 live commentator It was very good on the pitch for Man City. The cloud over the evening is the abuse, seemingly racial abuse, that Mario Balotelli received. It's difficult for us doing the commentary because we have headphones on, so it was very helpful when the Manchester City media people mentioned it to us at half-time that there had been some incidents when they had a fair idea that this was being directed at Balotelli. When he was substituted you could clearly hear it "I think Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure are too strong [to be affected]." Mancini reserved special praise for Balotelli, calling his performance "calm". "I think Mario did very well, he played very well," he said. "He was calm and it is important he continues like this. "I think this provocation can happen every game. For this reason I spoke with Mario before the game. I said, 'Mario, think and play, think what you should do during the game. Forget other things.' I think only this is important." City host Porto in the return fixture at Etihad Stadium on 22 February. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17070220
Disgraceful: Eye-witness footage of Porto fans making monkey noises vs Manchester City [video=youtube_share;ijihYcmhH-A]http://youtu.be/ijihYcmhH-A[/video] http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/550888765?-1808
If any club is found guilty of fans giving racist chants i.e. in this game the tie should be awarded automaticaly to Man City, without the need for the 2nd leg to be played, and the club being made to pay a fine of say £250,000 which is split between both U.E.F.A. and Man City. This maybe should be tried next season and all clubs and countries taking part in any comp which is under U.E.F.A., will know what will happen so they can't say we didn't know.
tevezrightboot I disagree to be honest. It's not fair on the players and staff if they work hard in a tournament only to be kicked out because of fans. Obviously they need to find a way of fighting racism in football but I don't think that is the answer. What if a group of fans from one club decided to pose as a rival club's fans, go to a rival club's game and start doing racist chants? Would that club get kicked out of Europe? Just ban the fans found guilty for life from football games and arrest them. That is all that can be done really.
