/ 23 November 2006

English football fans run riot in Germany

English football fans rioted in the German city of Cologne overnight on Wednesday ahead of Tottenham’s Uefa Cup match against Bayer Leverkusen, police said.

A group of about 80 fans smashed up the interior of a pub, causing damage costing $6 450 and a car was damaged.

One English supporter was hurt in the incident.

Police said a group of up to 500 English fans had remained in the centre of Cologne until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Visiting fans normally gather in the pubs and bars of Cologne before making the short journey to the industrial city of Leverkusen, where the match is to take place on Thursday evening.

Police said no trouble was reported in the northern German city of Bremen, where English Premiership champions Chelsea lost 1-0 to Werder Bremen in the Champions League on Wednesday. — Sapa-AFP