Chris Smalling has said Corriere dello Sport s editors must take responsibility for the newspaper s Black Friday headline, which he has described as wrong and highly insensitive .
Smalling, who has excelled on loan at Roma from Manchester United this season, was featured on the front page of Thursday s edition of the Italian publication, alongside his former team-mate Romelu Lukaku.
The headline – referencing the first Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States when retail sales mark the start of the Christmas shopping period – was used apparently in reference to the skin colour of both Smalling and Lukaku ahead of Roma s clash with Serie A leaders Inter on Friday.
The newspaper s choice has been widely criticised, with Roma, who along with the rest of Serie A s clubs recently demanded authorities do more to tackle racism in Italian football, among those to express disappointment.
Smalling has now responded, with the defender posting on his official Twitter account: Whilst I would have liked to spend the day focusing on the big game tomorrow, it is important that I acknowledge that what occurred this morning was wrong and highly insensitive.
I hope the editors involved in running this headline take responsibility and understand the power they possess through words, and the impact those words can have.
A big shout to Roma for the support! Now let the battle commence Rom, daje Roma!
— Chris Smalling (@ChrisSmalling)
Lukaku also reacted, labelling the newspaper s headline as the dumbest he has ever known.
He wrote: Instead of focusing on a battle between two teams.. Corriere dello Sport comes with the most dumbest of headlines I have ever seen in my career.
You guys keep fuelling the negativity and the racism issue. Instead of talking about the beautiful game that s going to be played at San Siro between two great clubs.
Education is key. You guys of Corriere dello Sport should do a better job at that.
— R.Lukaku Bolingoli9 (@RomeluLukaku9)
Earlier on Thursday, Corriere dello Sport s editor described the headline as innocent .
The newspaper said the headline reflected the pride of difference, the wonderful wealth of difference , adding: If you don t get it, it is because you can t or you don t want to.
Lukaku s agent, Federico Pastorello, hit out at the publication and acknowledged Italian football has issues with racism within the game. Pastorello said it was also a wider cultural problem in Italy.
