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An intense argument inside a pub turned into a full-blown assault between the supporters of Atalanta and Inter Milan.
Atalanta fans unfurl banner for 26-year old Atalanta BC fan, Riccardo Claris who was stabbed to death during clashes with Inter Milan supporters,in Italian reading: “Claris is everywhere with us”, during the match against AC Monza. (Reuters)
A young supporter of the Italian Serie A team Atalanta was stabbed to death in the northern city of Bergamo after a clash with Inter Milan fans, said Italy’s Carabinieri police. According to Reuters, the 26-year-old Atalanta fan was killed during a physical altercation initiated by Inter Milan supporters.
The head of the Carabinieri office in Bergamo, Carmelo Beringhelli, told Reuters that the incident occurred on the night of Saturday, May 3, after Inter Milan supporters made provocative chants towards Atalanta supporters. What began as an intense argument inside a pub in the city soon turned into a full-blown fight on the street, leading to the young man’s death.
In an incident showing how tempers flare up between passionate football supporters, the police couldn’t save the boy, aged 26, despite emergency services arriving smoothly. Beringheli said a knife was found close to the body of the supporter, and a suspect in his late teens has been arrested despite his claims that he was trying to protect his own brother during the brawl.
While no official statement has been made by the two clubs, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini mourned the youngster’s demise after his team’s Serie A win on Sunday, May 4, at Monza. “What happened to our fan must never happen again,” Gasperini said in a press conference after the match, where emotional Atalanta fans unfurled a banner in memory of the murdered fan.
The incident jolted even the Inter Milan supporters as their team prepares for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash against Barcelona on Tuesday, May 6. The two sides will battle it out at San Siro after an enthralling first leg in Spain, which finished 3-3.
Barca showcased their ability to bounce back after pulling themselves to the tie following Inter Milan’s dominating performance initially. The winner of the upcoming encounter will play either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in the Champions League final.
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