AN Italian tourist has been left fighting for his life in an induced coma after a brutal gang attack outside a Barcelona nightclub.
Nicola Maggiotto, 21, was sucker-punched from behind after a row erupted with a group of up to 15 youths outside the Sea Sea Club.
The venue is located in Sant Adria de Besos, a coastal municipality on the north-eastern edge of Barcelona near the Port Forum marina.
Maggiotto, from Asolo in northern Italy, had travelled to the Catalan capital on holiday with teammates from his local rugby club.
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According to Catalan news outlet El Caso and Italian press reports, the violence broke out at around 10.30pm on Wednesday, August 12.
Maggiotto and a 21-year-old friend had briefly separated from the rest of the group when they crossed paths with the gang.
While initial reports claimed the brawl was sparked by anti-Italian hostility, the injured friend clarified to Italian media that the argument actually started over football and the World Cup.
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One of the youths suddenly pounced and struck Maggiotto in the back of the head, knocking him instantly unconscious onto the pavement.
His friend was also beaten and briefly blacked out when he tried to step in.
The assailants fled when the remaining Italian rugby players rushed over to intervene.
Maggiotto was rushed by paramedics to the Hospital del Mar, where he was admitted to intensive care with severe brain trauma.
His father, Daniele Maggiotto, told Italian news agency ANSA that his son had spent a stable night, with doctors now considering reducing his sedation to assess his neurological condition.
The victim’s parents have flown to Spain and filed a formal complaint with the Mossos d’Esquadra.
Officers from the Catalan police force are now reviewing CCTV footage from the surrounding area to identify the attackers.
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