appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Associated Press

An Inter Milan fan died following clashes with Napoli supporters outside San Siro Stadium ahead of a Serie A game on Wednesday, which was also marred by racist chants.
Milan police chief Marcello Cardona said on Thursday that investigators believe the 35-year-old fan, Daniele Belardinelli, may have been fatally struck by a van or SUV during the clashes.
Four Napoli fans were injured and at least three people arrested.
“You can’t die from going to the stadium to see a soccer match,” interior minister Matteo Salvini said.
Salvini added that he would gather club and fan representatives from all Serie A and B teams for a meeting to make sure “football returns to being a moment of fun and not violence. We’ll see if we can do what others weren’t able to.”

Cardona said he will request that Inter fans be banned from travelling to away games for the rest of the season and that the northern end of the San Siro, where Inter’s “ultra” fans are based, be closed until March 31. Inter won Wednesday’s match 1-0.
The game was also marred by racist chants which targeted Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Senegal international, who had monkey noises directed at him throughout the match, received two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for sarcastically applauding the referee after being shown the first.

Mi dispiace la sconfitta e sopratutto avere lasciato i miei fratelli!
Però sono orgoglioso del colore della mia pelle. Di essere francese, senegalese, napoletano: uomo.
⚽ #InterNapoli 1-0#KK26 #famiglia#ForzaNapoliSempre#DifendoLaCittà pic.twitter.com/f9q0KYggcw
— Koulibaly Kalidou (@kkoulibaly26) December 26, 2018

After the game, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti threatened to lead his team off the field the next time one of his players was subjected to continued racist abuse. Ancelotti asked several times for the match against Inter to be halted, and announcements warning fans this would happen were made but no further action was taken.
It was the first time Serie A matches took place on December 26 in nearly 50 years – since 1971.
Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina said the incidents that occurred inside and outside the stadium were “no longer tolerable” and that he intends to simplify the rules for suspending matches.












View this post on Instagram


















Nel mondo e nel calcio Ci vorreberro sempre educazione e rispetto. No al razzismo e a qualunque offesa e discrimination!!!
A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Dec 27, 2018 at 1:28am PST



Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has come to the defence of Koulibaly after the Napoli defender was the target of racist chants during a match at Inter Milan.
Next to a photo of him being marked by Koulibaly during a match between Napoli and Juventus earlier this season, Ronaldo writes in Italian on Instagram, “In the world and in football there always needs to be education and respect. No to racism and to any sort of insult and discrimination!!!”
Koulibaly had monkey noises directed at him throughout the Serie A game on Wednesday at Milan’s San Siro stadium. He was sent off in the 81st minute after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, the second for sarcastically applauding the referee after being shown the first.

Koulibaly earlier made a decisive goal-line clearance to deny Inter captain Mauro Icardi.
It’s not the first time that clashes between rival fans have led to deaths in Italy.
Napoli supporter Ciro Esposito died 50 days after he was shot by a Roma supporter before the 2014 Italian Cup final.
That incident came before a match that Roma was not even involved in – although Napoli’s 3-1 win over Fiorentina was held in Rome.
Also, police officer Filippo Raciti was killed during riots following a Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo in 2007.


Juventus Hong Kong trip a ‘double-edged sword’, according to ex Dutch star Edgar Davids

Football Festival boss eyes Hong Kong Sevens-style boom, dismisses threat from rivals

Man City, Juventus ‘exploring summer options’ over Hong Kong Football Festival

Uefa ‘reluctantly’ approves La Liga, Serie A matches overseas

Italian Serie A

Inter Milan fan dies after clashes with Napoli supporters

Napoli's Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly kicks the goal's post during the Italian Serie A against Inter Milan. Photo: AFP

Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - December 26, 2018 General view outside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Soccer Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - December 26, 2018 Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly reacts as he is shown a red card by referee Paolo Mazzoleni while Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi looks on REUTERS/Alberto Lingria

Sport

Football

The 35-year-old fan could have been struck by a van or SUV during the clashes
Cristiano Ronaldo comes to the defence of Kalidou Koulibaly who was racially abused


The 35-year-old fan could have been struck by a van or SUV during the clashes


Inter Milan fan dies after clashes with Napoli supporters

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}The 35-year-old fan could have been struck by a van or SUV during the clashes Cristiano Ronaldo comes to the defence of Kalidou Koulibaly who was racially abused

The 35-year-old fan could have been struck by a van or SUV during the clashes

Cristiano Ronaldo comes to the defence of Kalidou Koulibaly who was racially abused