Nov
30
A Deportivo de La Coruña (Galicia) fan died on Sunday following a street brawl between 200 ultras near Atlético de Madrid’s Vicente Calderón stadium.
La Voz de Galicia reported the victim was 43-year-old Riazor Blues member Francisco José Romero Taboada.
Another 11 people were injured during the running street brawl, which involved some 200 members of the ultra groups supporting the two clubs, the Frente Atlético and the Riazor Blues.
The victim was hit several times on the head and thrown into the Manzanares river, according to reports by Spanish media.
Several coach loads of Deportivo fans had travelled from Galicia to Madrid for the match.
A video published by El Mundo shows police officers and firefighters struggling to rescue the man from the river. On being pulled out of the water, emergency services discovered he had suffered a heart attack, head injuries and hypothermia.
Early reports stated he had been pronounced “clinically dead” after the brawl but was later said to be in a very critical condition, fighting for his life.
The fight began at around 9 a.m. on Sunday morning and lasted for over an hour.
At lunchtime, a hospital spokeswoman said that the man had died.
14 people have been arrested.
Of the other 11 people treated for injuries, three are being treated for stab wounds and another three for head injuries. One other of the 11 was also thrown into the river.
Spanish news agency EFE reported that Madrid police were continuing to investigate the events but that they had not identified the person or persons responsible for the deadly attack.
Atlético de Madrid issued a statement “energetically condemning” the incidents: “The values that drive sport must prevail above any rivalry and we must all fight together against the scourge of violence”.
AFE, the Spanish Footballers Association, also “energetically” condemned the attack: “showing our total rejection of the violent events that happened this morning in Madrid”.
The chairman of Deportivo de La Coruña said he: “categorically rejects any type of violence that prejudices sport, football and the league”.
The match between Atlético de Madrid and Deportivo de La Coruña was not cancelled. Atletí won 2–0.
The last football murder in Spain happened on December 9, 1998 and also took place near the Vicente Calderón stadium in Madrid. Aitor Zabaleta, a Real Sociedad fan was stabbed to death by an Atlético ultra, Ricardo Guerra, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the crime.
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