Inter Milan Captain Mauro Icardi has incurred the wrath of the Inter Milan ultra's and now t is becoming very sinister.
The issue arose from a passage in Icardi's autobiography where he claimed that the dressing room had been delighted when he had stood up to the Ultra's after a defeat last season.
The Argentine wrote:
"I am angry because I played so little. The fans start to shout: they call us to come over to their section. I find the courage to face them, along with Guarin,” Icardi wrote in his book, ‘Sempre Avanti’ which was released this week.
"As I get closer, I receive insults and abuse of every kind. Attached to the netting is a kid who calls me: he wants my shirt.
"Considering his age, he could be my son: I take off my shirt and shorts and throw them to him, as a gift. This kid is in seventh heaven and I am pleased to see him so happy.
"A head of the ultras jumps on him to take away the shirt and throws it back at me. This is when I start insulting him: ‘Piece of ****, you are acting all arrogant with a little kid to show off to the rest of the curva [Inter Milan utras]? Do you think you’re hard?’
"In the locker room I am acclaimed as a hero, because nobody had ever faced off that way with one of the fan leaders.”
Initially the Ultra's responded by calling him a clown in the press and the unveiled a banner before the home defeat to calgliari which read
"You use a child to justify yourself and fling mud at us... You’re not a man... You’re not a Captain... You are just a vile piece of s***.”
They then cheered when Icardi missed a penalty with the game at 0-0 and after the game called for him to be removed as Captain.
But it has started to get sinister, with Sky Sports chief reporter, Kaveh Solhekol, claiming that some Inter Milan supporters have turned up at the Argentine’s house on Sunday evening and the Ultra's themselves releasing a press statement.
"We don’t want to go back over that day when his own teammates hauled him back by the neck to demand a less arrogant attitude towards the Inter population.
"It is pathetic to read such things talking about us. In his book he writes: ‘I am ready to face them one by one. How many are there? 50, 100, 200? OK, record my message and let him listen: I’ll bring 100 criminals from Argentina who’ll kill them where they stand, then we’ll see.’
"He talks about helping little kids, then invents an incident that never happened to make himself seem superior to us, as if it weren’t obvious to all that we are the only Curva that helps kids design the choreography in the stands.
"You are finished with us. You're done. TAKE THE ARMBAND OFF, YOU CLOWN. Yes, that is what we demand."
Strong words and ones that suggest that Icardi is finished at Inter, it is hard to see how the club can play him when it could put him at risk with his own supporters and indeed when they are so against him.
It will be interesting to see whether Icardi plays against Saints on Thursday evening and if he does whether the toxic reception will help or hinder an Inter team already under fire,