With Juventus and Napoli extending their winning runs, Dave Taylor selects his best XI from Week 24
Nicola Leali [Frosinone]
Could not do much about either goal but certainly saved his side from a bigger defeat. He made two superb saves in the first half from Stefano Sturaro and Alvaro Morata and was always well positioned to deal with any danger. Imposing.
Andrea Barzagli [Juventus]
Kalidou Koulibaly thanked Napoli fans for “an unforgettable moment” as they showed solidarity after he was racially abused.
Their game with Lazio had to be stopped for a few minutes midweek when Lazio supporters repeatedly aimed racist chants at the defender.
The Napoli crowd reacted ahead of today’s 1-0 win over Carpi by holding up pictures of Koulibaly’s face all over the stadium.
Lazio director Igli Tare accepts the “right” ban after racist chants at Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
“These things should not happen in any stadium, let alone ours. We distance ourselves from these people, as the real Lazio fans are not the ones described in the media,” Tare told Mediaset Premium.
Kalidou Koulibaly continues to shine under the brilliant Maurizio Sarri at Napoli, writes Edward Stratmann.
Napoli's towering centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly has been immense all season for Maurizio Sarri's men. And that trend continued in the solid yet unspectacular 2-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday night.
Napoli fans aim to combat racism by wearing Kalidou Koulibaly masks during Sunday’s game against Carpi.
The Partenopei defender was the subject of racist chanting by Lazio supporters in Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico.
The referee even had to suspend play for several minutes due to the insults.
Lazio Coach Stefano Pioli says “we have to make sure the real fans come back to the stadium” after racist chanting.
The Biancocelesti’s Curva Sud and two other sections will be closed for the next two matches, after fans directed racist abuse at Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.
“What happened with Napoli doesn’t do anyone any good,” Pioli sighed in his Press conference ahead of the trip to Genoa.
Lazio’s Curva Nord will be closed for two games and the club has been fined €50,000 for "unequivocally racist" chanting.
Last night’s defeat to Napoli was temporarily suspended after fans directed racist abuse at Kalidou Koulibaly, as well as signing anti-Neapolitan chants.
Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly has thanked referee Massimiliano Irrati ‘for his courage’ to stop play against Lazio for racist chanting.
The match at Stadio Olimpico last night was halted during the second half after the defender was subjected to racist chants from the stands.
Koulibaly responded by thanking Irrati, the Lazio players and fans for their support after the incident.
“An important victory! But tonight I want to thank everyone for the messages of solidarity I’ve received,” he wrote on his Instagram account.
Lazio winger Keita Balde says he has ‘so much admiration’ for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly after he was the subject of racist chanting.
Wednesday’s clash between the two sides had to be halted by the referee during the second half after discriminatory chants were aimed at the Partenopei defender.
The Aquile forward has come out in support of Koulibaly on his Instagram account today following the event.
“This game is much more than black, white or green,” he posted.
Stefano Pioli condemned Lazio fans for racist chants against Napoli and admits their home form is a problem.
The Serie A leaders ran out 2-0 winners at the Stadio Olimpico, but play was halted during the second half for persistent racist chants aimed at Kalidou Koulibaly.
“Discriminatory chants should not exist. People need to have values like respect and education, never forgetting them,” slammed Pioli on Rai Sport.
