A man who threatened to kill former Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria’s daughter has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Threats derailed Di Maria’s planned homecoming
A threatening note was left near the gated community where Di Maria’s family stayed in Rosario on 25 March 2024, while gunshots were also fired in the area.
Sergio Di Vanni and Alejandro Ficcadenti, who were linked to the Newell’s Old Boys ultras, were arrested four months later on suspicion of organising threats against the former United player’s family.
Newell’s is known in football terms by United fans for being the home club of defender Lisandro Martinez.
Di Maria subsequently disclosed that the intimidation had caused him to abandon his proposed move from Benfica to boyhood club Rosario Central, with the death threats forcing his decision (via BBC Sport). Rosario eventually announced his return in May 2025.
Rosario court imposes seven-and-a-half-year term
Di Vanni, a 45-year-old Newell’s supporter, was sentenced at a Rosario court on Wednesday, with the prison term running until 2034 (via The Sun).
Di Maria told local media: “They attacked an estate agency owned by my sister, and left a pig’s head with a bullet in its forehead outside the building. There was a note with it saying that if I went back to Rosario Central, the next such head would be that of my daughter Pia.”
Sara Gutiérrez had already received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence in July after admitting her involvement in the intimidation plan. A third suspect remains at large.
Di Maria’s brief spell at Old Trafford
Di Maria joined United from Real Madrid on 26 August 2014, signing a five-year contract. His £59.7 million fee was a British record at the time.
The Argentina international recorded four goals in 32 appearances and won no trophies during his single season at Old Trafford. His campaign was disrupted by injuries and reduced playing time, while an attempted burglary reportedly left him unsettled (via BBC Sport), before he joined Paris Saint-Germain for £44.3 million in August 2015.
Di Maria registered 92 goals and 111 assists in 295 appearances across seven seasons at PSG, winning 18 trophies. He then spent the 2022/23 campaign with Juventus and returned to Benfica for two seasons before moving to Rosario Central, whom he helped become the Argentine Football Association’s 2025 League champions.
Final Thoughts
- Di Vanni has received a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence for threatening Di Maria’s daughter.
- The former United winger described a pig’s head, bullet and written threat being left at his sister’s business.
- One other participant has been convicted, while a third suspect remains at large.
| Player | Team | Years | Apps/Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ángel Di María | Rosario Central | 2005–2007 | 50 | 19 |
| Ángel Di María | Benfica | 2007–2010 | 92 | 36 |
| Ángel Di María | Real Madrid | 2010–2014 | 190 | 36 |
| Ángel Di María | Manchester United | 2014–2015 | 32 | 4 |
| Ángel Di María | Paris Saint-Germain | 2015–2022 | 295 | 92 |
| Ángel Di María | Juventus | 2022–2023 | 40 | 8 |
| Ángel Di María | Benfica | 2023–2025 | 53 | 17 |
| Ángel Di María | Rosario Central | 2025– | 40 | 15 |
| Ángel Di María | Argentina | 2008–2024 | 145 | 31 |
Featured image by Alex Livesey via Getty Images
Win a Mystery Football Shirt Box from Mystique Jerseys!
Just choose your size and leave the surprise to us.
Simply predict the score of the Chelsea game in the comments below 👇
Special offer: Get 10% off any Mystique Jerseys order! Use code UNITED10 at checkout.
Tell us which teams to avoid and you won't receive a shirt from those teams, guaranteed.
Open worldwide. If more than one person predicts the score correctly, the winner will be decided by a random draw. If you make more than one entry, only your last entry will count. No entries accepted after 12.30pm GMT on Saturday 30th October. The winner will need to provide their name, address, shirt size and any teams to avoid. The UNITED10 discount is exclusive to The Peoples Person and United World readers and is valid until 31 December 2026.
