Michel Bastos, known for his passion and occasional controversy, has made headlines once again with his entry into AS Roma. The Brazilian left-winger, who previously enchanted fans at Olympique Lyonnais, recently joined AS Roma on loan with an option to buy (3.5 million euros) after being on the shelves of Juventus and Napoli.
During his presentation to the Giallorossi supporters on Tuesday evening, coinciding with the quarter-final clash of the Italian Cup against Juventus (won 1-0 with a goal from Gervinho), Bastos made a peculiar communication move. While interacting with the fans, he raised a scarf thrown by a supporter, bearing an insulting message towards the rival club in the Italian capital (“Lazio Merda”). The Roma management quickly expressed regret for the offensive nature of the message conveyed by the Brazilian.
This incident, reminiscent of Taye Taïwo’s provocative song at the Stade de France with OM directed at Parisian rivals, is likely to endear Bastos to the hearts of Giallorossi supporters. However, it’s not the first time Bastos has found himself in such a situation. In 2011, during an ASSE-OL derby, he mimicked sending hearts to the Kop Sud at Geoffroy-Guichard after converting a penalty. His explanation at the time was an attempt to avoid sanctions, but it only fueled controversy further.
