Paulo Dybala believes the football federation in Italy needs to be tougher on racism or the players will ‘measures into their own hands.’

The 26-year-old Juve forward gave a lengthy interview to CNN and talked about the problem with racism in Italian football, starting with Mario Balotelli being abused.

“It really wasn’t easy for him,” Dybala told CNN. “I have experienced various situations of racism with other Juventus teammates in other stadiums.

“Many Italian stadiums have certain racism against some players. It has also happened to Mario Balotelli, it has also happened to Pjanic in a match against Brescia and I think that Italian punishments should be tougher.

“If not, then it will be us players who will have to take measures into our own hands so that this doesn’t continue to happen, because we are talking about one of the biggest championships in the world, where millions of people are watching and if they see that there is racism and no action is taken, people get emboldened and continue doing it.

“People who have to take action need to take it, or surely in a short time it will be players who will directly take action.

“As happened many times in the past, many players are deciding to leave the pitch or not play and it seems to me a perfect decision because it is something that should not happen in a country.

“If society, in this case the Italian Federation, does not decide to do anything, the players should be the ones to act. Or, as the referees have done many times in the past, stop the match so that these people don’t continue committing that crime.”