Fans' attack puts Feyenoord player in hospital

The Feyenoord midfielder Jorge Acuna was taken to hospital with head, neck and rib injuries after players from the Rotterdam side were attacked by hooligans from arch-rivals Ajax after a reserve match on Thursday.

Feyenoord's official website said a large group of Ajax fans came on to the pitch after the game at the Toekomst stadium and attacked Chilean international Acuna and winger Robin van Persie, who was linked with a move to Arsenal during January's transfer window.

"It was a complete chaos," said the Feyenoord coach, Mario Been. "My players laid everywhere and they had to be saved by Ajax [reserve] coach John van't Schip and [Ajax] player Daniel de Ridder."

Last Sunday Rotterdam police made 53 arrests during the Dutch first division match between Feyenoord and Ajax which ended in a 1-1 draw.

There have been numerous violent clashes between supporters of the two sides over the years. In March 1997 an Ajax fan died after an organised fight between hundreds of Feyenoord and Ajax hooligans in a meadow near Beverwijk.

* Real Madrid's plan to seek three days of peace and seclusion at the luxury resort of La Manga appears to have come unstuck after some 1,200 fans attended their first "closed-door" training session on Thursday. A handful of police were unable to prevent the crowds of adoring fans from pouring into the resort and watching the players from behind the fences that surround the training pitch.