Porto's Moussa Marega quits match over racist abuse at Vitoria Guimaraes

Mali forward Moussa Marega gave home fans the thumbs down at Vitoria Guimaraes

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off midway through his side's win at Vitoria Guimaraes, saying he was subjected to racist abuse from fans.

Marega, 28, started to walk towards the dugouts in the 69th minute, nine minutes after scoring what would prove the winner in Porto's 2-1 victory.

He pointed his thumbs down and also raised his middle fingers to the crowd.

Team-mates and opposition players tried to persuade him to stay on, but he was eventually substituted.

In an Instagram post, Marega said the home supporters "who come to the stadium to make racist screams" were "idiots".

Porto defender Alex Telles tried to prevent Moussa Marega from leaving the pitch

And staff from the dugouts tried to persuade Marega to remain

Porto boss Sergio Conceicao said: "We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate.

"We are completely indignant about what happened. I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think most of the fans do not see themselves in the same attitude of some people who have insulted Moussa since the warm-up."

Porto's match report on their website described it as "a sad situation that should make the Guimaraes club and Portuguese football blush with shame".

Team-mates including Alex Telles, Sergio Oliveira and Ivan Marcano all tried to stop Marega walking off the pitch, grabbing the Malian player around the waist - but he pushed everyone aside on his way to the tunnel.

Marega spent a season on loan at Vitoria in the 2016-17 campaign, scoring 15 goals in 25 games.

'These acts shame football'

The Liga Portugal - the governing body of Portugal's top flight - condemned the behaviour of supporters, saying it "does not agree with acts of racism, xenophobia, intolerance".

In a statement, it said: "The values ​​of football are not compatible with what happened at the stadium, in which an athlete no longer endured the insults he was being targeted [by] and chose to abandon the game.

"These acts shame football and human dignity.

"The greatness of the institution of Vitoria should not be confused with the attitudes of some fans who have no place in football and sport.

"Liga Portugal will do everything so that this, and all episodes of racism, do not go unpunished, believing that this is a fight without colours and where everyone is decisive to eradicate this scourge."

The Portuguese players' union (SJPF) expressed its "solidarity" with Marega.

It said: "This case deserves the most serious condemnation, but also the recognition to the player for the courage he had in taking a stand and leaving the field.

"This time Marega stopped, but if nothing is done the players' union makes it known that racism and discrimination in football are more than enough reasons for all the players in Portugal to stop."

After the game, Vitoria coach Ivo Vieira said he did not want to speak about the incident "without being aware of all the facts", but added: "If the player was provoked, then he should not have been."

Vitoria said in a statement: "We will investigate what happened during the game played at Estadio D Afonso Henriques, acting firmly and thoroughly in full co-operation with the competent authorities."