Goals from Saul Niguez and Arda Turan sealed three points for Atletico Madrid at home to Deportivo La Coruna, but the death of a Deportivo supporter and injuries after clashes in Madrid Rio hours before kickoff stole the headlines.
Deportivo coach Víctor Fernández described today as “possibly one of the saddest days of Spanish football in recent years” after an unnamed 43-year-old fan of the Galician club was fetched out of a river near Atletico’s Vicente Calderon Stadium (Mazanares River) following clashes between dozens of rival fans hours before kickoff.
He was said to have suffered cardiac arrest, hypothermia and head injuries and died at a hospital shortly after 2pm local time (1300GMT) after failing to respond to efforts to resuscitate him.
Deportivo Supporters Were Escorted Out of the Vicente Calderon Stadium By Security Personnel Following Rival Fans Clash in Madrid Rio. Image: AFP/Getty.
“It has been a reprehensible and despicable incident. I cannot understand life like this,” Fernandez told reporters after the match, which Deportivo lost.
“Attend an event, a party which should be of brotherhood, joyful and to participate with your family. We know it has been a terrible and violent event, with a lot of participants and with very bad consequences.”
A female police officer was among eleven other people treated for mostly minor injuries.
Twenty people were taken into custody with 100 troublemakers identified.
Both clubs have condemned the violence. Atletico President Enrique Cerezo, speaking before the death of the supporter was announced, told Spanish television: “I want to say that this has nothing to do with football.
Coach of the La Liga champions Diego Simeone, speaking after the match, said: “We are very sad. They are situations that are not related to football, which we absolutely condemn from where we stand and hope that these kind of situations are not repeated and that they never happen again.”
Arda Turan Celebrates Atleti’s Second Against Deportivo. Image: Getty.
On the pitch, Niguez opened scoring for the Los Rojiblancos via a header two minutes before the break and midfielder Turan doubled the hosts’ advantage on 55 minutes to help Simeone’s side move within four points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid on 29 points after 13 matches.
It was Atletico’s fifth victory in their last six La Liga matches, propelling them to second-place ahead of Barcelona, who are away to Valencia in the evening kick-off.
by Greenstarnetwork admin..
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