Roma midfielder Seydou Keita
claims racist remarks made by
Pepe earlier in his career were the
reason behind his midweek
confrontation with the defender.
Prior to Roma's International
Champions Cup clash with Real Madrid, Keita threw a water
bottle at Pepe after refusing to shake his hand , sparking a
coming-together between both sets of players on the pitch.
Following the incident, Keita took to his official Twitter
account to state that Pepe had racially abused him during his
playing days with Barcelona, writing: "1. He called me a
monkey during Madrid-Barca, 2. I did not shake his hand, 3.
He spat on me, and after I threw the bottle, sorry for my
attitude".
Speaking to RF1 later on Wednesday, the 34-year-old Mali
international explained he had decided before the game not to
shake the Portugal international's hand and was provoked into
throwing the bottle when Pepe spat at him.
"At the time I played with Barcelona, Pepe called me a
'macaco', that is to say a monkey, and he spat on me. I told
myself: 'This guy is worthless,'" he said.
"At the time, I did not speak publicly about it because it wasn't
worth it. That's why I didn't shake his hand before the friendly.
I even told my intention to my team-mate Mehdi Benatia. So I
greeted everyone except him.
"And suddenly he came up behind me and spat on me. At the
time, I had a bottle of water and I threw it at him. His team-
mates saw us and they had the intention to strike me.
"It's true that I gave a bad image of myself and I apologise.
But it's lucky we were on a football field because it's
unacceptable that one man spits on another. I don't see why I
would shake his hand, because in his eyes I'm not a human
being.
"I don't want to talk to someone who does not consider me a
human. His behaviour is unacceptable. Instead of asking why I
didn't shake his hand, he preferred to spit on me.
"I'm not saying I'm a saint. Like everyone I have flaws, but I
respect people."
Keita's comments come during a week in which racism has
once more grabbed the headlines in Italian football, with Fifa
demanding an investigation after FIGC vice-president Carlo
Tavecchio referred to young African players moving to Serie A
as "banana eaters" .
Keita, however, does not believe racism is endemic in
European football.
"No, we shouldn't generalise," he said. "I am African and I've
played a long time in Europe. I have often met wonderful
people.
"From time to time there are small-thinking ones who are not
very nice, but I've rarely had to endure such behaviour. For
me, that is too many. If some use football to say and do
anything, it's a minority. I don't want to generalise."

Pepe always on the front page for every bad reasons possible.

pepe is a goat

waiting for the day pepe and balotelli will clash, e go shele that day mhen

hahahahah...so for pepe mind him be oyibo abi lmao.
if oyinbo can abuse alves it means pepe na confirm monkey naa
c him abusin keita lmao...wonders

lmaoo, monkey face pepe is now being racists .

Pepe himself is black and racially abusing of another black man is hilarious. Here in South Africa, we call people like him, Choc-Ice (Black people that wish they're white).

RayMcBlue: Pepe himself is black and racially abusing of another black man is hilarious. Here in South Africa, we call people like him, Choc-Ice (Black people that wish they're white).

exactly... I've always suspected him of such.