Scare as Lamela brother kidnapped

By Football Italia staff

It’s reported Erik Lamela’s teenage brother was kidnapped by armed men and released after his family paid a ransom.

The former Roma star moved to Tottenham this summer for £30m including performance-related bonuses.

According to Argentine newspaper Clarin, his 18-year-old brother Axel was stopped by armed men in the Vicente Lopez area of Buenos Aires and held prisoner for several hours.

He was freed after his family agreed to pay a ransom of 5,000 pesos – which is only around £550.

Local police believe the ransom was so low because the kidnappers were unaware of his identity or family connections, but were simply ‘attracted’ by his BMW.

They used his mobile phone to call his family and demand the ransom, releasing Axel only a couple of hours later that evening.

It is unfortunately not uncommon for family members of famous football players to be kidnapped in South America, Africa or even Europe.

The most famous case was that of former Milan and Genoa defender Kakha Kaladze, whose brother Levan died while kidnapped in Georgia in 2001.

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