ERIC WEIL in BUENOS AIRES: Fighting between different groups of Nueva Chicago hooligans on Saturday produced fan death No268 in Argentinian football since 1931.

Five fans were also injured in fighting two hours before a game against visiting Guarani. This was the third skirmish in the second division between hooligan gangs during a season which is barely a week old.

The main suspect for Saturday’s murder is on the run.

The latest outbreak threw further light on the murky links between politicians and the Barras Bravas since four different groups of Nueva Chicago hooligans are linked to different political factions – Daniel Scioli, PRO, La Campora and the Victory Front.

This will only escalate ahead of next year’s presidential election.

In 2012, fighting among Nueva Chicago hooligans left one of their number killed. He died in hospital under police protection as his pursuers invaded the hospital causing major damage.

Three men will go on trial next month for the latest violence but the murder suspect is on the run and his family think he has political protection. They have given police details of his possible whereabouts five times and every time police arrived after he had left.

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