Argentine ultra sentenced to 7.5 years for threats against Angel Di Maria

A prison term for the ultra

A court in Rosario, Argentina, sentenced Sergio Di Vanni, a 45-year-old member of the Newell's Old Boys ultras, to seven and a half years in prison. According to the court ruling obtained by AFP, he ordered acts of intimidation against the family of Angel Di Maria, aimed at discouraging the player from returning from abroad to join a rival club. The conviction also covers other offences linked to his membership of the ultra group. Di Maria, a World Cup winner with Argentina, was playing for Benfica in Portugal at the time, in March 2024. The court had no doubts about Di Vanni's guilt.

Gunfire, a pig's head and a threatening note

The intimidation included gunfire accompanied by threatening messages near the Funes private neighbourhood on the outskirts of Rosario, where Di Maria owns a residence. In another episode, a pig's head with a bullet in its forehead was left in front of a real estate agency run by the player's sister, along with a note saying the next head would belong to his daughter if he returned to Rosario Central. Di Maria described that incident at the time to the Rosario 3 television station. Rumours of his return to Rosario Central had spread in 2024, and the threats followed.

Accomplice, payment and a third suspect

A 25-year-old woman, considered the executor of the acts, was sentenced in June 2026 to three and a half years in prison under a plea procedure. A third suspect is held in pretrial detention. According to the prosecution, the two were hired for 4 million pesos. Some reports put that at about 2,600 dollars, while one French report gives about 2,330 euros. The prosecution ties the acts to a power struggle among the Newell's ultras, and Di Vanni's ruling includes separate offences linked to his role in the group.

Sergio Di Vanni, 457.5

Accomplice, 25-year-old woman3.5

Sergio Di Vanni, 45

7.5 years

Accomplice, 25-year-old woman

3.5 years

Data from the article text

Di Maria's return to Rosario

Because of the threats, Di Maria first gave up plans to return to Argentina, with the safety of his family as the priority. He later changed his mind, and in 2025, aged 38, he rejoined Rosario Central, the club that developed him. The club was crowned champion at the end of 2025, and the player has spent two seasons there since returning.

Rosario's rival clubs

Rosario is the birthplace of both Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria, and its supporters are split between Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys. Messi played for Newell's as a child, and the two clubs are the city's long-standing rivals. Reports describe the rivalry as a matter of local identity, pride and strong emotion. Di Vanni's ruling covers other offences linked to his role in the ultra group.