Fan stabbed in Uefa Cup violence

An English football fan has been stabbed during violent clashes between Arsenal and Galatasaray supporters in Copenhagen ahead of Wednesday's Uefa cup final.

The injured man, thought to be in his 20s or early 30s, sustained a serious injury to his back but is now said to be comfortable in hospital.

Running battles between opposing fans broke out in the Danish capital, with riot police intervening as bottles and glasses were thrown.

'Seriously injured'

Superintendent Flemming Munch, of Copenhagen police, said the stabbed fan remained in hospital.

He said: "He was pretty seriously injured, but he survived. We believe he may have been hit in the lung."

Sgt Munch said he understood Danish youths may have been involved in the trouble as well as English and Turkish fans.

But he said the violence had not changed the way they would police the match and he said there were no plans to close bars in the city centre.

The run-up to the European final has been tense, with appeals for calm from both sets of fans following the murder of two Leeds United supporters before the club's semi-final against Galatasary in Turkey.

The violence broke out after Galatasaray fans occupied a square near bars where English fans were drinking. Riot police moved in but the two sets of supporters hurled bottles and other missiles at each other.

They chased each other across the centre of the square where fighting continued.

The injured Arsenal fan was taken away by ambulance after being stabbed with either a knife or bottle.

Arsenal fans knelt around him and used their own shirts to stem the bleeding.

Some supporters complained that paramedics took 20 minutes to arrive.

'We are not shocked'

Officers in full riot gear moved in between the two factions, using police dogs to help restore calm.

A police spokesman said: "We had hoped this would not happen but are not shocked that it has, because it was something we had expected more or less. We hope for the best later today."

Supt Andy Smith, who travelled with the Arsenal fans from north London, said: "I am very sad and distressed to hear of this incident. It has spoiled what had been up until now a very relaxed and good atmosphere."

Police in Copenhagen say six or seven arrests were made and five or six people taken to hospital but they could give no breakdown by nationality. All were later released after treatment, with the exception of the stabbed fan, who has not been named.

Galatasaray's general secretary Sinan Kalpakcioglu had earlier said his club would rather lose the cup than see another tragedy following the Istanbul stabbings.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has also made clear his concerns that supporters behave with restraint.

More than 5,000 Danish police officers, supported by British and Turkish police, are in Copenhagen for the match.

Thousands more fans are arriving in the city on Wednesday on flights from London and Istanbul. Many Galatasaray fans are also expected to travel overland from neighbouring Germany.