Roma, Milan ban Corriere dello Sport due to offensive headline

AS Roma and Milan have banned Corriere dello Sport in response to the Italian newspaper's offensive headline.

The Serie A clubs will not allow Corriere dello Sport journalists to enter their training facilities or speak to players for the remainder of the year after the paper published a headline that read "Black Friday" alongside images of Roma's Chris Smalling and Inter star Romelu Lukaku.

A statement on Roma's website read: "We believe that players, clubs, supporters and the media must be united in the fight against racism in football and we all have a responsibility to be very precise in the words we choose and the messages we deliver.

"In response to the 'BLACK FRIDAY' headline published today by the newspaper, Roma and Milan have decided to ban Corriere dello Sport from our training facilities for the rest of the year and our players will not carry out any media activities with the newspaper during this period."

Because the actual article in the newspaper had an anti-racist message, however, the ban will only be implemented until January.

Both players featured on the front page condemned the headline, while Corriere dello Sport editor Ivan Zazzaroni issued a statement in defense of the publication.

"'Black Friday,' for those who want to and are able to understand it, was only ever praising diversity, taking pride in diversity, the magnificent wealth of diversity. If you don't understand it, it's because you can't do that," Zazzaroni said, according to Marcus Christenson of The Guardian. "It's an innocent article, perfectly argued by (journalist) Roberto Perrone, that has been made poisonous by those who have poison inside them."

Roma will take on Inter at the San Siro on Friday.