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It's been a rough week for Kalidou Koulibaly. Targeted by racist chanting, taunting, at monkey noises by Lazio fans during Napoli's 2-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday -- an act that saw the match briefly halted and then earned Lazio a two-game partial stadium ban -- Koulibaly has been forced to deal with matters that no one should ever have to deal with but too often do, only turned up to eleven.
Napoli fans are on the defender's side, though, and they've come up with a creative way to support him. Masks of Koulibaly's face have been made, and fans all over the San Paolo will wear them on Sunday when Napoli take on Carpi.
"The entire Neapolitan population feels offended along with its young champion," wrote one of Napoli's supporter groups who organized the gesture. "For this reason we want Koulibaly to feel all our affection and closeness. We are all with you, Kalidou."
It's a wonderful and defiant stand against those who would spew such hatred. I don't want to speak for Kalidou, but I can't help but think that he was wonderfully touched when he found out about the fans uniting behind him and alongside him like this. I know I was.