Zlatan Ibrahimovic has denied using racist language in his clash with Romelu Lukaku in the Milan derby on Tuesday night.
AC Milan forward Ibrahimovic and Inter striker Lukaku were involved in a number of incidents on the pitch before Ibrahimovic was eventually sent off. Inter won the match 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Christian Eriksen.
“In Zlatan’s world there is no place for racism,” the Swede tweeted
However, he then added an apparent dig at his former Manchester United teammate by adding: “We are all the same race – we are all equal !! We are all players some better than others.”
Meanwhile, Paul Pogba rushed to the defence of his former Manchester United teammate after the row with Romelu Lukaku.
“Zlatan… racist?” wrote Pogba on Twitter. “He loves me too much so he’s the last person I’d think of as racist! Come on, don’t joke with that one!”
The contents of the argument were analysed in the media based on the footage, and Ibrahimovic came under fire for telling Lukaku to ‘call your mother and do that voodoo ****.’
This was called racist by some, but Ibrahimovic was referencing a specific quote from a majority shareholder at Everton, who claimed Lukaku had turned down a new contract after a message from his mother who had visited a voodoo practitioner.
Lukaku has always denied this story and even threatened to sue, but it was in the headlines and Ibrahimovic evidently read it.
