THE SIDELINES : Soccer Star’s Sale Fires Up Fans

Hundreds of angry Fiorentina fans threw rocks and shot fireworks at the headquarters of the Florence soccer team, expressing outrage at the sale of star midfielder Roberto Baggio to rival Juventus of Turin.

Fiorentina will reportedly receive more than $20 million for Baggio, the highest amount ever paid for any player in Italy. The previous record was $10 million paid by Napoli for Argentine midfielder Diego Maradona to Barcelona of Spain in 1984.

Baggio, who was second in the league with 17 goals, will earn $1.4 million per year, along with a villa and a car, according to press reports.

Fans swarmed into the club’s headquarters in Piazza Donatello, pelting the building with stones and shouting slogans against Fiorentina owner Flavio Calisti Pontello. General Manager Nardino Previdi was struck in the head with a bottle thrown by one of the protesters.