Gianluigi Buffon, the former Juventus and Italian National Team goalkeeper , who now serves as the team’s head of delegation, has weighed in on the topic of racism in light of the Acerbi-Juan Jesus case. Buffon made his remarks during an appearance on Rai 2’s program and explained his views on the incident:
“Stadiums are sometimes considered a free port where everyone can vent their frustrations, which is quite peculiar. The journey to combat racism is long, but it has been underway for quite some time, and some positive results have been seen. Occasionally, there are relapses into mistakes and controversies. The important thing is that if mistakes are made, they are done in good faith and without intending to harm anyone, as that would be very serious.”
“The Azzurri squad? They are very serious, reliable, humble guys. I must say that I am really happy to be able to participate in this European Championship with them. Regardless of the final result, I am certain that with a coach like this and players like these, we won’t embarrass ourselves. The National Team is in excellent hands, although in football, anything can happen.”