RACIST ABUSE

Leonardo Bonucci says he was 'too hasty' with Moise Kean racial abuse comments

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has said he was "misunderstood" and "too hasty" in saying teammate Moise Kean was partly responsible for the racist abuse the teenager suffered during a Serie A match on Tuesday.

Immediately after Juve's 2-0 win over Cagliari, Bonucci had said Kean -- who had held his arms aloft in front of the home fans after scoring the second goal of the match -- had to take "50-50 of the blame" for the abuse he was subjected to.

The 19-year-old, born in Italy to Ivorian parents, had to endure monkey chants from some Cagliari fans during the game with the abuse intensifying when he scored after 85 minutes.

"Moise should not have done that and the Curva [fans] should not have reacted in that way," the defender told Sky Sports Italia on Tuesday.

But in an Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Bonucci said: "After 24 hours I want to clarify my feelings.

"Yesterday [Tuesday] I was interviewed right at the end of the game, and my words have been clearly misunderstood, probably because I was too hasty in the way I expressed my thoughts.

"Hours and years wouldn't be enough to talk about this topic. I firmly condemn all forms of racism and discrimination. The abuses are not acceptable at all and this must not be misunderstood."