SHARE
COPY LINK

FOOTBALL

Football fans stabbed ahead of Rome derby

Two unnamed Roma fans were rushed to hospital in a serious condition after being stabbed prior to the city derby against Lazio on Monday, reports in Italy said.

Football fans stabbed ahead of Rome derby
Lazio's fans cheer prior the Italian Serie A football match SS Lazio vs AS Roma. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

Tension reigned in the Italian capital ahead of the penultimate match of the Serie A season, which saw Roma beat Lazio 2-1.

Violence flared at several hotspots in the hours leading up to the final and two fans were rushed to the Gemelli hospital after being stabbed in the stomach, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport website.

The report added that a group of hardline 'ultra' fans with links to Polish top flight side Wislaw Krakow were 'guests' of Lazio's notorious Curva Nord (North End), where some of the club's hooligan, right-wing element congregate at matches.

The fans from Poland, according to Gazzetta, were filmed earlier in the day walking through Rome behind a banner, making fascist salutes and shouting insults at Roma fans.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

SHOW COMMENTS