Thursday, March 01, 2007, 07:39:41
HRS
Sevilla's coach Juande Ramos is stretchered off the pitch after
being struck on the head by a missile during a King's Cup football
match against Betis at the Ruiz de Lopera's stadium in Sevilla. The
match was suspended. - AFP
Violence marred the Spanish Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday as the
second leg between Real Betis and city rivals Seville was suspended
due to crowd violence after the latter's coach was hit by a
bottle.
Seville, held to a goalless draw in the first game, were leading
thanks to a Frederic Kanoute goal when the referee called a halt to
the game at Betis' Manuel Ruiz de Lopera Stadium.
Kanoute had netted nine minutes into the second half to give the
lead to Seville, league title hopefuls and the UEFA Cup
holders.
But moments later Seville coach Juande Ramos was carried
unconscious from the dugout on a stretcher after someone threw a
bottle at him from the stands.
Adolfo Munoz of Seville's medical staff said Ramos would be kept in
a Seville clinic overnight for observation.
A Betis spokesman promised the club would do all it could to hunt
down the person responsible and punish him.
But Spanish media quoted Spanish Secretary of State for Sport Jaime
Lissavetzky as saying he was appalled at what had happened and he
would be asking for the toughest of responses.
He added he had contacted the interior ministry and would be
calling for Spain's anti-violence commission to hold an "emergency
meeting" on Friday to discuss the incident.
"We have to come down as hard as possible," he insisted, drawing a
parallel with the recent hooligan problems which have afflicted
Italy and saw midweek league matches played during the afternoon at
the behest of police.
Spanish matches traditionally are late-night affairs and in the
context of a local Cup derby matters boiled over even before the
match began.
The website of sports newspaper AS also reported trouble outside
the ground sparked by some 200-300 Seville supporters unable to
gain entry.
Spanish television showed dozens of supporters setting fire to
dustbins in frustration, having strewn the large containers across
an access road leading to the stadium.
About half an hour after the incident referee Undiano Mallenco
bowed to the inevitable and called off the match.
even manager get missile by fans