Italian pro football coaches embroiled in homophobia row
The coach at football team Inter Milan has accused his Napoli counterpart of using homophobic slurs.
Roberto Mancini made the accusation against Maurizio Sarri. The pair had a row on the sidelines during the final moments of their teams’ Coppa Italia tie.
Mancini was sent off after becoming involved in the stoppage time row with Sarri.
“He should be ashamed, a 60-year-old man behaving in that way” said Mancini. “A man like him should not be involved in football.”
He also accused Sarri of being “a racist”, but did not specify what had been said.
Sarri spoke to RAI to say he could not remember what was said but that he thought the claims of homophobia were exaggerated.
“This are things which happen on the pitch and should stay on the pitch,” said Sarri. “I apologised to Mancini in the dressing room but he didn’t accept it because he was still angry.”
The row began after it was indicated by the fourth official that there should be nine minutes of stoppage time, before changing his mind and saying five instead.
