Inter defender Denzel Dumfries has admitted he made a mistake by displaying an “inappropriate” banner depicting Milan counterpart Theo Hernandez, with the incident being investigated by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Dumfries and Hernandez were both sent off after clashing in the latter stages of Inter’s 2-1 win over Milan last week, a result which clinched the Nerazzurri’s 20th Serie A title.
Simone Inzaghi’s team subsequently held an open-top bus parade on Sunday, when Dumfries made headlines by holding up a supporter’s banner mocking Hernandez.
The banner, which featured an edited image from the video game Grand Theft Auto V, depicted Hernandez as a dog on a leash, being held by Dumfries.
Read our other football news stories here:
Federico Valverde regrets not taking penalty against Man City
United States and Mexico withdraw 2027 Women’s World Cup bid
Lewandowski transfer ‘out of the question’ as striker rubbishes Saudi links
The FIGC is reportedly investigating the incident, having previously fined Hernandez and a group of Milan team-mates for holding up anti-Inter banners in the aftermath of their own title win in 2022.
In a post to Instagram on Monday, Dumfries wrote: “Yesterday was the most beautiful day for me, for all the players and everyone at the club.
“Thank you so much to the fans who turned out in their thousands at the parade. It was a great feeling to celebrate with all of you, it meant so much to the team.
“During the parade, I held up a banner that displayed an inappropriate image. I am a player who loves rivalry in football, it is a crucial part of any game.
“I realise that holding up the banner was an error of judgement on my part and not smart at all. Let’s move on to focusing on what has been the most amazing season for Inter.”
View this post on Instagram
