The farewell match for legendary Uruguayan defender Diego Godín was marred by an outbreak of violence after his team Vélez Sarsfield lost to Huracán last weekend. This sparked outrage and a barrage of claims from some fans of the Argentine club. During the incident, the Veles footballers were attacked by a frenzied crowd, in addition, they were threatened with firearms.
At the moment when the team returned to the concentration in the ‘Villa Olimpika’ stadium after finishing the game of the next day of the local championship, ultra groups of their own fans began to harass them. Furthermore, the situation got completely out of hand when some players were ambushed.
We arrive at the stadium to pick up our cars and go home. We left when it was already dark. At that moment, the cars of the “Barra Brava” fans caught up with us. There were at least five or six of them. They hit me twice in the face, grabbing my clothes tightly. I was too scared and my classmates didn’t want to go home for fear of being followed. They even told one of the players: “Get out of the car or we’ll shoot you in the legs,” Veles striker Gianluca Prestianni, 17, told ESPN, adding that the incident forces him to reconsider staying at the club. . .
Photo source: Velis Sarsfield FC
Former Boca Juniors defender Leonardo Jara also received a threat: “They cut me off, they wanted me to come out and they said they were going to shoot me in the legs.”
Forward Santiago Castro and defender Francisco Ortega were also attacked and threatened.
Photo Source: Getty Images
Veles Sarsfield’s press service quickly published a message condemning what happened on the team’s website. “Veles” regrets and strongly rejects the terrifying situation in which some of our team’s players found themselves involved last night in the vicinity of Villa Olimpika,” the club said in a statement.
Argentine media reported that the players chose not to file a complaint with the police, but were called to the local police station to testify, with coach Sebastián Méndez telling management that the team would not return to training until it was guaranteed safety.
With only five wins in 27 games, Vélez Sarsfield is only in 25th place after losing in the last round of the Argentine League. And it is a few points from the last line. Diego Godín, known for his friendship with Lionel Messi, moved to Vélez in the 2022/2023 season, having played only one full season for the team, after which he decided to finish with great football. Leaving the field after the final whistle, the defender couldn’t hold back his tears.
Photo Source: Getty Images
“They are tears of joy from a career that has been full of successes and failures. There were more defeats than successes, but there were many casualties. I have always given everything for my teammates, for my clubs and for my loved ones. He always treated partners and opponents with respect. Now I think of my family, who helped me get here. I wanted to leave like this, healthy. It may surprise you, but I’ve been thinking about quitting football for a while. Now I have other priorities. My family lives in Uruguay, I recently became a dad. I want to relax and enjoy other things, leaving a good impression with my game,” Godin said after the game.
