Match halted after repeated racist abuse towards ex-Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic
Referee asked Gianluca Mancini to calm crowd after overturned penalty failed to halt chants
Incident follows multiple recent racism cases in Serie A, including abuse of Weston McKennie
Fiorentina Vs Juventus, Serie A: Italian League Match Halted As Racist Chants Target Vlahovic
Juventus’ trip to Fiorentina was briefly halted after racist chanting towards Dusan Vlahovic, marking yet another Serie A episode of discriminatory abuse and the third straight season the Serbian has been targeted
Summary
Juventus’ match at Fiorentina was halted briefly on Saturday, November 22, after sustained racist and discriminatory chanting from home fans aimed at former Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.
The racist chants issue flared when Juventus was awarded a penalty in the 14th minute – a decision that was overturned on review – prompting further abuse aimed at the Serbian forward.
An announcement in the 11th minute at the Stadio Artemio Franchi urged fans to halt the insults, but the abuse intensified in the 14th minute when Juventus were first awarded a penalty after Pablo Mari appeared to pull down Vlahovic in the box.
The penalty decision was later overturned on review, yet the chanting continued, which forced the referee to ask Fiorentina captain Gianluca Mancini to address the crowd and call for it to stop.
Racist Abuse Persists in Serie A
Saturday's incident marked the third successive season in which Vlahovic has been the target of racist chanting since his move from Fiorentina in January 2022.
This is not an isolated incident, either. In August 2025, Weston McKennie, the American midfielder for Juventus, was subjected to racist remarks by Parma fans while warming down after a 2-0 victory. Juventus publicly condemned the abuse and pledged full cooperation with authorities.
(With AP Inputs)
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