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| Romelu Lukaku (#90 FC Inter) during FC Internazionale against AC Monza, Serie A, at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 15th, 2023. |
Inter have reportedly decided to lodge an appeal against Romelu Lukaku’s Coppa Italia semi-final ban after he was booked for responding to racist insults from Juventus fans.
That was his second yellow card, handed out for ‘celebrating in a provocative way’ towards the Juve supporters who were behind the goal.
Lukaku insisted that he always celebrates goals like this, with a military salute and a finger to the lips, which was indeed already seen when playing for Belgium earlier this year.
It was still considered to be a provocation and the presence of racist chants from the fans behind the goal did not help his cause, but Inter lawyers hope they can at least make their case, according to Sky Sport Italia.
Coppa Italia, #Inter ha deciso di fare ricorso contro la squalifica di Romelu #Lukaku dopo #JuventusInter - #SkySport pic.twitter.com/WKkX5jIH7H
— Daniele Mari (@marifcinter) April 16, 2023
The history of the Italian justice system suggests a success is extremely unlikely, as it is very rare if not entirely unheard of that a yellow or red card is overturned for anything except a case of mistaken identity.
There was already a similar situation this season in Serie A when Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman was booked for a ‘provocative’ goal celebration towards opposition supporters.
The referee did not realise that he always celebrates by pretending to be holding up binoculars – a play on the name Lookman – but it was still not enough to have the yellow card rescinded on appeal.
