Violence overshadows top of the table clash

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos is stretched away after being knocked unconcious by a bottle thrown from the stands during the King's Cup return leg quarter-final match against Real Betis at the Ruiz de Lopera stadium in Seville, Spain, on Wednesday. PHOTO: EPA

Hooliganism's ugly shadow has put Spain's top of the table clash today between Barcelona and Sevilla in the shade.

Sevilla's midweek Spanish Cup tie with city rivals Betis was abandoned when a bottle thrown from the crowd knocked out their coach Juande Ramos.

The Spanish Football Federation and the country's anti-violence commission have warned they intend to take a tough line amid media forecasts that Betis could have their Ruiz de Lopera stadium shut for up to a dozen matches.

"If we don't root out this problem we will end up like Italy and South American countries," Ramos said.

While Ramos was being treated some Betis fans threw bottles at the ambulance as he lay inside.

Eight years ago, a knife was thrown at Betis midfielder Benjamin during a match at Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.

Thursday also saw Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera hit by a plastic bottle after his team won at Real Zaragoza.

Ramos left hospital on Thursday after spending the night there

The coach said little on leaving hospital but revealed he felt fine but could remember nothing from the previous evening

Today, Sevilla will again be in the limelight as they try to secure a home win over Barcelona which would put them top of the tree.

Barca have 49 points from 24 games to Sevilla's 47 with Valencia and Real Madrid four points further back.

The Catalan club may have Samuel Eto'o back in harness but even the Cameroon hitman will have his work cut out to keep the reigning European champions' show on the rails this week as Barca prepare for today's tough trip before heading to Liverpool for a do-or-die Champions League showdown.

Eto'o was out for four months with a serious knee injury but returned to full action with a goal in last Sunday's win over Bilbao.

Before that he had briefly fallen out with both coach Frank Rijkaard and teammate Ronaldinho.

But having pronounced himself "very happy to return to the starting lineup" after missing the home Champions League defeat to Liverpool, Eto'o now requires the broadest of shoulders for two vital awaydays.

Barca lost their last La Liga outing on their travels to Valencia but they did at least survive without Eto'o as they overturned a one-goal home deficit to reach the Spanish Cup semi-finals in midweek as Xavi and Iniesta hit the target against Real Zaragoza.

Sevilla, whose only league title success came in 1946, will look to Mali international Fredi Kanoute to deliver with Brazilian forward Luis Fabiano out through suspension.

Valencia will seek to consolidate their top four status ahead of a Champions League return against Inter Milan with a home success over strugglers Celta Vigo in today's other match.

Tomorrow will see Real Madrid try to build on a draw at city rivals Atletico with three points at the Bernabeu against Getafe.

A shock win for the latter would take the side from the Madrid suburbs to the fringes of the top six.

Also tomorrow, Atletico Madrid, having failed to cut the three-point gap on Real in last week's derby, travel to Recreativo Huelva.