Liverpool fans called out over ’embarrassing’ Federico Chiesa chant
Federico Chiesa has emerged as somewhat of an unlikely cult hero at Liverpool.
Chiesa has struggled to work his way into Arne Slot’s plans, but that has not stopped supporters from singing his chant constantly at Anfield.
It was on full blast when he slammed home the third goal in Liverpool’s 4-2 win against Bournemouth on Friday, after the Cherries had brought back a two-goal deficit.
However, an issue has been raised with the wording of the chant.
Liverpool journalist calls out Chiesa chant
Chiesa‘s chant references the fact that he joined the Anfield outfit from Italian club Juventus, referencing crying in Turin.
However, journalist Tony Evans claims that it is “tone deaf” and “pathetic” due to the Reds’ involvement in the Heysel Disaster.
Before the 1985 Champions League final between the sides, 39 people died when a wall collapsed as Liverpool supporters ran towards the Italians.
He argues that the song is “an embarrassment”, and it could open up Reds fans to further criticism and point scoring from rival supporters.
Chiesa song has no relation to Heysel
The reaction to the song is an overreaction.
It has been sung for over a year, and there has been no connection drawn to Heysel until now, and it is a very tenuous one at best.
It is not about a hatred of Juventus or anything to do with the disaster, simply the fact that the player was signed from the club and nothing else.
It is a huge reach, and Chiesa himself has been seen singing and dancing to the song; if it was offensive to his former club, where he spent four years, surely he would not have done that?
In fact, Chiesa has publicly spoken about the song, saying, “I am really grateful for the song they are singing. It was really, really emotional.”
If it were an issue, the player himself would have raised that and asked supporters to stop signing it, especially given his lengthy connection to the Turin-based outfit.
People look to find the bad in everything these days. It is a football song, about a player moving from one club to another. There is nothing malicious about it, and it is not about Heysel; it is as simple as that.
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