This is eerily reminiscent of the shooting in Sesto San Giovanni last year, in which a leading Milan ultra was targetted in the context of a similar battle for “control of the curva”, but that was only a kneecapping.

We’ve already seen close to a half dozen “turning points” in Argentina become only mileposts on the decline into this precipitous spiral of ever-worsening violence , but perhaps this one will in fact inspire some serious action. River’s reaction appears to be positive in that regard, let’s see what the authorities do.

Is there any clarity on exactly what the various factions are fighting over? Here in Italy it is taken for granted that such conflicts are not just about prestige and visibility, but also have significant economic aspects, usually relating to control over the sale of semi-licensed products and/or the disposition of tickets and travel packages. The investigators in the Milan case have also raised the possibility that there may well be a narcotics angle to that particular fight as well.