Dejan Stankovic said on Sunday he was "proud to be a gypsy" after Roma fans aimed racist insults at the Sampdoria manager during his team's 3-0 defeat on Sunday.
Former Red Star Belgrade, Lazio and Inter Milan midfielder Stankovic was targeted with chants calling him a gypsy by home supporters until Roma coach Jose Mourinho demanded they stop.
The Italian word for gypsy is often used by sections of football supporters as a racial slur for players from the Balkans and eastern Europe, regardless of their ethnicity.
"I'm proud to be a gypsy. I'm not offended if they call me that, and Jose knows," said Stankovic to DAZN.
"I didn't realise what had happened while the match was going on, but I thank Mourinho for standing up for me."
Stankovic won the league, cup and Champions League treble under Mourinho at Inter in 2010.
However he is having a tough time at Samp who sit second from bottom in Serie A, 10 points from safety after their 19th defeat of the season.