A car belonging to a player from Serie B side Foggia was set on fire while a vehicle belonging to the club’s owners was also targeted after the team lost a match, the club and Italian media said on Sunday. Italian media said forward Pietro Iemmello’s car was damaged after it was attacked in the centre of the town in the early hours following the 1-0 defeat away to local rivals Lecce on Saturday.
The reports also said that an improvised explosive device was thrown at a car belonging to the Sannella family which owns the relegation-threatened club, without causing damage, and a firecracker was aimed at the house of midfielder Massimiliano Busellato. The club condemned the incidents as “vile attacks” in a statement on its website but did not give details. “There is no place for violence in sport,” said Franco Landella, the mayor of Foggia, on Twitter. “All Foggia fans hope that the team can keep its Serie B status, regained with difficulty after 19 years, but it is inadmissible to witness criminal acts that can only hurt the club of Foggia and the whole city.”
Meanwhile, the club said coach Pasquale Padalino had been sacked. “The club thank him for his work and wish him all the best for the future,” it said. This comes after Liverpool goalkeeper Shamal George was injured in what is believed to be a racially motivated attack on him. The 21-year-old suffered facial injuries in the attack which took place in a city centre bar at around 1am on Saturday.
Merseyside Police have begun investigating the attack on the Liverpool goalkeeper. The brother of the young goalkeeper, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Tranmere, was also injured in the incident. Police are studying CCTV footage of the attack and Liverpool are appealing for witnesses to come forward. A club spokesperson said: “Liverpool Football Club is shocked and appalled that Shamal and a family member have been subjected to such a terrible ordeal. As a club, we will offer Shamal and his family any support that they require.”
The Merseyside club added: “The matter is now in the hands of Merseyside Police and we will defer all enquiries to them. We would also urge anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Liverpool Football Club will make no further comment until it is appropriate to do so and, in the meantime, we would ask that Shamal and his family have their privacy respected.”