Dylan Bettencourt
Failure in Italian football is not tolerated lightly.
Despite his club missing out on promotion by only two points, Claudiu Micovschi found that out the hard way.
The midfielder who plays for Italian Serie C club Avellino is the son of the team owner but that did not stop fans from stripping him down to his underwear.
Micovschi was driving home after his side missed out on promotion, when he was forced off the road by angry fans and supporters who forced the 23-year-old to take off his tracksuit and go home in his underwear. Fans said he was not fit to wear the club’s colours.
Giovanni D’Agostino, the club chairman’s son, put the blame on the players for failing to gain promotion to Italy’s second division.
“It’s easy to see the real culprits here are the players. They haven’t shown they are worthy of wearing this shirt,” he told reporters.
D’Agostino added that although the club had hired protection for the players, some of the angry fans could be used to benefit the team.
“I don’t wish to be misunderstood but the situation needs to be unbearable for some of the players now,” he said.
The chairman’s son added that the players would be mistaken if they think they could return to the club and earn the same salary after their failure.
Local police arrested two men aged 22 and 30 and charged them with threatening behaviour and the theft of a tracksuit.
A woman who was with them is yet to be identified.
Image source: @TheTimes
