MILAN: The leader of a group of hardcore fans of Inter Milan football club on Wednesday stabbed to death a member of an Italian crime gang in what he claimed was self-defense.
Andrea Beretta, 49, head of the “curva nord” (north end) ultras football supporters said he stabbed fellow Inter fan Antonio Bellocco, 36, after he had shot him in the leg with a firearm, his lawyer and Italian media reports said.
Beretta will be questioned in his hospital bed on Wednesday evening by a prosecutor, his lawyer Mirko Perlino told AFP.
The two men had an altercation as they rode together in a car on Wednesday morning outside a sports center in the Milan suburb of Cernusco sul Naviglio.
Perlino told AFP that his client, acting in self-defense, stabbed the victim in the throat.
Beretta, who has been convicted several times for violence and drug dealing, became head of the Inter ultras after their historic leader Vittorio Boiocchi was assassinated in October 2022.
According to press reports, Bellocco is the heir of a powerful ‘Ndrangheta crime family from Calabria, and has been condemned in the past for organized crime activities.
The prosecutor assigned to the case is Paolo Storari, who specializes in organized crime and who has led investigations into Boiocchi’s assassination and into the mafia’s infiltration of hardcore Italian football supporter groups.
Italian football hooligan leader kills mafia heir
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Italian football hooligan leader kills mafia heir
- Andrea Beretta, 49, head of the “curva nord” (north end) ultras football supporters said he stabbed fellow Inter fan Antonio Bellocco, 36, after he had shot him in the leg
- The two men had an altercation as they rode together in a car on Wednesday
Alvarez sends Atletico past Leverkusen late as both sides see red
- The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round
MADRID: Julian Alvarez scored a second-half brace as a 10-man Atletico Madrid came from a goal down to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at home on Tuesday, and take a major step toward a top-eight finish.
Barrios was sent off for a nasty, studs-up challenge after 23 minutes and Leverkusen took advantage as Piero Hincapie put the visitors ahead in first-half stoppage time.
Buoyed on by a fiery 70,000-strong home crowd, Atletico lifted in the second, Alvarez finishing off a length-of-the-field counter to equalize after 52 minutes.
Goalscorer Hincapie picked up a second yellow with 14 minutes remaining and Atletico smelt blood, Alvarez taking advantage of some sloppy Leverkusen defending to score in the 90th minute.
“Things looked bleak,” Alvarez said after the match, adding “but by playing our game and staying humble, we got the equalizer.
“Then with 10 against 10, we saw the chance to win.”
The last-gasp victory sends Atletico third in the Champions League table, with the top eight sides all avoiding an extra knockout round.
The win means Atletico have already secured last 16 qualification and who travel to Red Bull Salzburg in their final match.
“These are three very important points and they show us to keep believing in what we do,” Alvarez said.
German champions Leverkusen, who host lowly Sparta Prague next week, finish the night in sixth.
“We didn’t close out the game maturely enough,” Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah lamented to DAZN, saying Atletico lured his side into a “fight.”
“The stadium pushed them and lifted them high... To lose a difficult away game like that, it hurts extremely badly.”
Both sides came into the match in red-hot form. Leverkusen had chalked up 12 straight victories in all competitions while Atletico had 15 wins in a row before Saturday’s surprise La Liga loss at lowly Leganes.
Pre-match, both coaches lavished praise on each other.
Atletico’s Diego Simeone, who coached his side against Alonso when the Leverkusen boss was playing at Real and Bayern, lauded his opposite number for turning side into an “extraordinary team.”
Alonso, who missed Real’s 2014 Champions League final win over Atletico with suspension, praised Simeone’s “intense and perfect relationship” with his club.
On the pitch however there was no love lost, with the referee handing out four yellow cards and a red in the first half.
Leverkusen were in control before referee Davide Massa changed Barrios’ yellow to red after a VAR intervention with 23 minutes gone.
The man advantage supercharged the Germans, who pinned Atletico inside their own area
Leverkusen broke through in first-half stoppage time, Nordi Mukiele lofting a cross for Hincapie to head past Atletico goalie Jan Oblak.
In the second-half, the early control evaporated as both sides played end-to-end, with Atletico using the chaos to equalize.
With Leverkusen on the attack, Antoine Griezmann punted a long pass goalwards, Alvarez forced Tah into a poor clearance, before regathering and guiding a shot into the bottom right.
Leverkusen lost goalscorer Hincapie to a second yellow in the final 15 minutes, prompting Atletico to push higher.
With the visitors failing to deal with a bouncing cross, Alvarez collected the ball and rounded the keeper before converting from a tight angle to snatch a famous comeback victory for the undermanned hosts.
Liverpool’s magnificent seven secures Champions League progress
- Liverpool will welcome direct progress to the last 16, without the need for a play-off round, with the Premier League leaders still involved in four competitions
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool maintained their perfect Champions League record to guarantee a top-two finish in the league phase and automatic last-16 qualification with a 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday.
Harvey Elliott’s deflected strike secured a seventh consecutive Champions League victory for Arne Slot’s men after Jonathan David canceled out Mohamed Salah’s opener.
Liverpool remain three points clear of Barcelona, who came from 4-2 down to beat Benfica 5-4.
Lille’s first defeat in 22 games in all competitions leaves the French side 11th.
Liverpool will welcome direct progress to the last 16, without the need for a play-off round, with the Premier League leaders still involved in four competitions.
Slot took the chance to rotate with the Reds already all but assured of progress to the next round.
Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez, fresh from his match-winning contribution, came in from the side that beat Brentford 2-0 on Saturday to open up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Lille arrived on Merseyside full of confidence with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid among the notable scalps on their long unbeaten run.
The visitors were far from overawed early on as they started impressively without ever seriously threatening Alisson Becker’s goal.
Liverpool had struggled to get going until one defense-splitting pass from Jones freed Salah to gallop clear and coolly slot in his 50th European goal for the club on 34 minutes.
Jones had to be replaced at half-time in an injury concern for Slot, who also took the chance to rest Ryan Gravenberch for the second 45 minutes as Elliot and Alexis Mac Allister were introduced.
Lille’s task looked to be an impossible one when Aissa Mandi was sent off for a second bookable offense for chopping down Luis Diaz.
Yet, within three minutes, Liverpool’s club-record European run without conceding was brought to an end.
David swept home the rebound after Hakon Arnar Haraldsson’s effort had been blocked by Kostas Tsimikas.
Liverpool had not conceded for one minute shy of 10 hours since Christian Pulisic struck for AC Milan inside the first three minutes of their opening Champions League game of the season.
Yet, not for the first time this season, Liverpool’s strength in depth made the difference with another winner from a substitute.
There was an element of fortune about this one as Elliott’s strike from the edge of the area took a huge deflection off Ngal’ayel Mukau to wrongfoot Lucas Chevalier.
The Lille ‘keeper denied Federico Chiesa a third in stoppage time, before Nunez was flagged offside as he swept in the rebound.
Barca score wild comeback victory at Benfica
- With Benfica appealing for a penalty, Barcelona sprang a quick breakaway and the Brazilian winger slotted home to end a blockbuster clash
LISBON: Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and virtually ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.
Benfica were leading 4-2 with under 15 minutes remaining but Barcelona mounted a stunning late comeback to stay three points behind leaders Liverpool.
Vangelis Pavlidis hit a first-half hat-trick for the hosts, in part thanks to two big errors by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
However a Robert Lewandowski double from the penalty spot, Eric Garcia’s header and a brace for Raphinha helped Barcelona claim a stunning late triumph in Lisbon.
Benfica opened the scoring in the second minute, when Pavlidis escaped Pau Cubarsi and fired home from Alvaro Carreras’ low cross.
Barcelona responded swiftly with Lewandowski scoring from the penalty spot after Alejandro Balde was brought down by Benfica defender Tomas Araujo.
The hosts nosed back ahead through a stroke of luck, when Szczesny raced out of his goal to try and cut out a through-ball, but crashed into Balde.
Greece international Pavlidis gleefully collected the loose ball and rolled his second into the empty net.
Barcelona, who lured Szczesny out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen in October, soon fell further behind.
Pavlidis completed his half-hour hat-trick with a penalty after another Szczesny mistake, with the goalkeeper flying in to try and dispossess Kerem Akturkoglu but bringing him down.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha missed good chances before the break as Barcelona pushed forward.
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin saved from Jules Kounde, who should have scored, and Lewandowski could not turn home from Pedri’s dangerous ball across the face of goal.
Raphinha pulled one back for Barcelona in bizarre fashion as a clearance by Trubin struck his head on the edge of the area and flew back into the net.
However, Benfica soon struck again, with Ronald Araujo nudging past Szczesny into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross.
Barcelona kept pushing and Lewandowski converted another penalty after Nicolas Otamendi brought down Yamal.
The Catalan giants, who last won the Champions League in 2015, pulled level when substitute Garcia headed home from Pedri’s inviting cross.
Szczesny saved former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria’s low shot before Raphinha’s dramatic winner.
With Benfica appealing for a penalty, Barcelona sprang a quick breakaway and the Brazilian winger slotted home to end a blockbuster clash.
Monaco down Villa to boost Champions League qualification hopes
- Wilfried Singo’s early header was the difference between the teams as Villa tasted defeat for the first time in six outings in all competitions
- The defeat dropped Villa from fifth to seventh provisionally. They can qualify automatically for the last-16 with a top-eight finish
MONACO: Monaco ground out a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, denying the Premier League side the chance to all but book their spot in the round of 16.
Wilfried Singo’s early header was the difference between the teams as Villa tasted defeat for the first time in six outings in all competitions.
Monaco had only won two of their last 11 matches, including back-to-back defeats in the Champions League, but now have their eyes on securing progress to the knock-outs.
The defeat dropped Villa from fifth to seventh provisionally. They can qualify automatically for the last-16 with a top-eight finish.
“We started the Champions League not being favorites to finish in the top eight, and we still aren’t. Tonight we are disappointed,” said Villa manager Unai Emery.
Emery’s side host 21st-placed Celtic in their final league phase match next week.
Villa and Monaco are among nine teams on 13 points, ahead of the rest of this week’s matches, a pack headed by Arsenal in fourth place in the table with Monaco in ninth
Monaco conclude their league phase campaign with a visit to Italian champions Inter Milan — also on 13 points ahead of a visit to Prague on Wednesday — knowing nothing but a win will do to avoid a play-off spot.
“We have one match remaining which will be very difficult. We are going to go to Milan next week with a lot of ambition and to win,” said Singo.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s every touch was booed by the home support in the early stages — the crowd had not forgotten his role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
To the delight of their fans, Monaco’s opener came after the Argentinian parried Thilo Kehrer’s header from a corner up into the air. Singo pounced to nod home from close range on eight minutes.
Martinez showed his class with a sprawling dive to claw away Maghnes Akliouche’s whipped effort shortly afterwards.
Villa came within inches of levelling in first-half added time following excellent build-up play by Emiliano Buendia, but Radoslaw Majecki got down quickly to deny Ollie Watkins.
At the start of the second period, Morgan Rogers flashed a strike narrowly wide, before Akliouche had a strike disallowed for offside.
Emery turned to Jhon Duran from the bench to give his side a spark, sending on the Colombian 11 minutes after the interval in place of winger Bailey.
With Watkins and Duran on the pitch together, Villa boasted a striking duo with 22 goals between in all competitions this term.
Rogers and Matty Cash combined to create Villa’s next chance, the right-back dragging his effort across goal and wide on 69 minutes.
Monaco looked the more likely to score in the final 20 minutes.
Aleksandr Golovin rippled the side netting from a tight angle in the 88th minute.
Duran then attempted a bicycle-kick in the crowded box in the 92nd minute, but his ambitious effort flew well over the bar as Monaco held firm.
“It was an important win,” said Monaco coach Adi Huetter. “I give compliments and praise to my team for how they fought.”
Al-Hilal win again while Ronaldo inspires Al-Nassr victory
- Al-Hilal defeat Al-Wehda 4-1 to stay top of the Saudi Pro League
- Cristiano Ronaldo nets twice to help Al-Nassr to 3-1 win at Al-Khaleej
JEDDAH: Al-Hilal moved three points clear of Al-Ittihad — who are in action at home to Al-Shabab on Wednesday — and were never in danger of dropping points as they netted twice in the first 11 minutes against Al-Wehda before recording a 4-1 verdict.
After only seven minutes Al-Wehda’s goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Owaishir spilled a shot from Ruben Neves and Marcos Leonardo — in red-hot form with eight goals in the previous five games — was on hand to react first to poke the ball home from close range.
Four minutes later it was 2-0. Salem Al-Dawsari picked up possession on the left, slipped the ball into Mohamed Kanno on the edge of the area and the midfielder found Malcom on the edge of the six-yard box. The Brazilian controlled the ball with his first touch and shot home with his second.
Fans in Riyadh sat back in the expectation of more goals but Al-Wehda kept it tight and restricted the scoreline to respectable levels. Malcom added a third with eight minutes remaining and Abdullah Al-Hamdan completed the scoring after Craig Goodwin had pulled one back for Al-Wehda.
Earlier, Al-Nassr moved above Al-Qadsiah into third following a 3-1 victory over Al-Khaleej, although the Yellows are 11 points behind their Riyadh rivals.
It was goalless at the break but Al-Khaleej were already a man down as Saeed Al-Hamsal had been red carded.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring midway through the second half, shooting home from the edge of the box for his 100th goal contribution for Al-Nassr.
Al-Khaleej equalized with 10 minutes remaining through Kostas Fortounis from the spot, but Al-Nassr restored their lead almost immediately thanks to Sultan Al-Ghannam.
Ronaldo then scored his 13th of the season in the eighth minute of added time, slotting home into an empty net after an unselfish pass from Saad Haqawi. The strike put the Portuguese star into first place in the goalscoring standings above Aleksandar Mitrovic and Karim Benzema.
