7 and a half years in prison for Argentine fan who threatened Ángel Di María and his family

A court in Rosario, Argentina, has sentenced Sergio Di Fani, a supporter of CA Newells Old Boys, to seven and a half years in prison after convicting him of orchestrating acts of intimidation and threats aimed at Argentine star Ángel Di María and his family in 2024.

According to the accusations, the threats were intended to stop Di María from returning to Argentina and playing for Rosario Central, the historical rival of CA Newells Old Boys. The player, who won the FIFA World Cup 2022, was then defending the colors of SL Benfica before eventually returning to his former club Rosario Central in the summer of 2025.

The acts of intimidation included gunfire and sending threatening messages near the residential complex where Di María owns a house in the suburbs of Rosario. The player's sister also found a pig's head with bullet marks in front of her real estate office, accompanied by a message threatening to target the player's daughter next time.

The sentences were not limited to Di Fani, who is 45 years old, as Belen Gutiérrez, who is 25 years old, was previously sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison last June, while a third suspect remains in pre-trial detention. Di María had initially reconsidered the idea of returning to his country to ensure his family's safety, before ultimately deciding to return in 2025 to contribute to Rosario Central's victory in the Argentine league title at the end of the year.