As the football world continued to denounce the racist abuse aimed at Juventus striker Moise Kean during the Serie A match against Cagliari, comments made by Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci sparked further controversy.
While condemning the chants, Bonucci suggested that responsibility was “50-50,” arguing that Kean had provoked the crowd by celebrating in front of Cagliari supporters. His remarks immediately drew criticism, notably from Lilian Thuram, the former France international and Serie A defender, who strongly condemned Bonucci’s stance.
Speaking to Le Parisien, Thuram did not mince his words:
“He says what many people think: that Black people deserve what happens to them. He implies shared responsibility between the fans and Kean. The real question Bonucci should be asking himself is: what did Kean do to deserve such contempt? He never clearly tells the fans they are wrong. Instead, he suggests that the player partly brought it upon himself.”
Thuram went further, drawing a stark parallel to underline the gravity of such reasoning:
“It’s like when a woman is raped and people comment on how she was dressed. That mentality is precisely why things are not moving forward. Bonucci isn’t stupid; he has a certain vision of society. His comments are simply shameful.”
The former World Cup winner also emphasized that racist chants go far beyond a single incident or individual provocation:
“These monkey chants are an expression of contempt directed at all Black people, including every child who has the same skin color as Kean.”
Thuram’s reaction echoed the sentiment of many players, fans, and observers who believe that any attempt to relativize or share blame in cases of racism only perpetuates the problem. For them, the issue is clear-cut: racist abuse is never justified, regardless of what happens on the pitch.
The incident has once again reignited debate in Italian football—and beyond—about how racism is addressed, the responsibility of players and institutions, and the need for unequivocal, united condemnation when such acts occur.
