The former AC Milan coach feels that there are too many foreign and black players in the youth teams of Italy and that it is damaging the game
Arrigo Sacchi has said that youth teams in Italy have too many black players, leaving the nation's game without dignity or pride.
The former AC Milan coach attended the Viareggio Tournament this month, the most prestigious youth tournament in Italy, which was won by Inter.
And Sacchi, although insisting he is not racist, feels that an increase in black and foreign players is a bad thing for football in the country.
"Italian football is now without dignity or pride because it makes too many foreigners playing also in the youth teams," he is quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport. "In our youth sides there are too many black players.
"I'm certainly not racist, which my history as a coach proves, starting with Frank Rijkaard, but watching the Viareggio Tournament, I would say that there are too many black players.
"Italy has no dignity, no pride, you cannot have teams made up of 15 foreigners."
Sacchi later attempted to clarify that he is not racist, but that his comments were misunderstood.
"I have been misinterpreted. Imagine if I'm racist. I only said that I saw at a game with a team that fielded four black guys.
"My story is clear, I always coached teams with different colours and I bought many, both in Milan and at Real Madrid. I just wanted to point out that we are losing pride and our national identity."
