An Italian “ultra” fan has been arrested and accused of killing a rival supporter who died after violence in Milan before a top-flight match last December.
Fabio Manduca, a 39-year-old Napoli fan, is accused of driving the SUV that fatally struck Daniele Belardinelli, a 35-year-old Inter supporter who died in clashes outside the San Siro stadium on December 26.
Manduca, who has a long criminal record, has been charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Prosecutors believe Manduca, who refused to answer questions by authorities in the 10-month investigation, has ties to the Naples-area Camorra crime syndicate.
Claudio Ciccimarra, the chief of the Milan police special operations unit, said investigators were confronted with a “wall of omerta (the Mafia code of silence)” from Inter fans involved “even though the victim was on their side”.
Police examined security camera footage and intercepted phone calls before concluding Manduca was responsible.
In March, five Inter fans — including the club’s “ultra” leaders Marco Piovella and Nino Ciccarelli — were sentenced for up to nearly four years for their roles in the clashes.
The Serie A game was also marred by racist chants targeting Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
It was the first time Serie A matches had taken place on December 26 in nearly 50 years.
This season, the Italian league is reverting to its traditional holiday break with no games between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
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