Brazilian authorities have reported that a Cruzeiro football fan has died following a roadside ambush by rival supporters in São Paulo state on Sunday morning.
The fan was confirmed dead at a hospital in the city of Mairipora, 46 kilometres (28 miles) north of São Paulo. Local media reports indicated that at least 12 fans were injured in the same attack.
The Cruzeiro fans were travelling back to Belo Horizonte by bus after their team’s 3-0 defeat to Athletico Paranaense in the top-tier Brazilian league on Saturday.
Brazil’s federal road police informed journalists that the victim was a 30-year-old man, but did not provide further details. São Paulo’s public security secretariat stated that the attack was carried out by ultra supporters of rival Palmeiras.
Footage on Brazilian television showed a bus on fire and several Cruzeiro fans lying on the pavement as Palmeiras supporters punched them and struck them with sticks.
Cruzeiro expressed on its social media channels that it “deeply regrets yet another incident of fan violence” in Brazil.
The club also stated that “several fans were wounded.”
São Paulo-based Palmeiras has yet to comment.
