Italian ex-footballer sentenced to life in prison

The court in Bologna has issued a final verdict in the case of 28-year-old former Italian central defender Giovanni Padovani, who was accused of murdering his girlfriend, Alessandra Mateuzzi.

The last hearing in this case lasted less than two hours, and the court sentenced Padovani to life imprisonment, as reported by Tv2000.it.

The incident occurred in August 2022. The investigation determined that Padovani inflicted physical injuries on the victim by assaulting her with kicks, fists, a hammer, a baseball bat, and finally, a bench he took from a nearby garden. The injuries sustained resulted in the girl's death on the spot.

Padovani has also been ordered to pay financial compensation to the family of the victim. Several weeks before the tragic incident, Mateuzzi's relatives had reported to the police about sexual violence by Padovani.

Throughout his career, Padovani played for clubs in Serie D, with his last club being Sancataldese.