BRUGES (AFP, Reuters) - Manchester City said on Wednesday (Oct 20) they were shocked and saddened by reports that one of their fans had been attacked in Belgium after Tuesday's 5-1 Champions League win at Club Brugge.
British media reported that a Belgium-based supporter of the Premier League champions was in intensive care and in critical condition after being attacked following the match at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
The City fan, a Belgian national, was badly beaten at a motorway service station where rival fans first stole his club scarf.
Police said they had made five arrests after the fight that began inside the service station shop and continued outside on the forecourt.
"His life is in mortal danger," a police statement said. "The victim is a 63-year-old from Ninove." According to the first findings of the investigation, the football scarf was taken in the shop by one of the suspects. He walked outside with it and then was confronted by the victim outside the shop where many witnesses were present.
The victim's son runs a Manchester City fan club "Blue Moon Belgium" and the club's star player is the Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.
"They left my father for dead after an act of mindless violence," the son wrote on social media. "My father was attacked in a cowardly manner because of his City scarf during a stopover in Drongen.
"We hope that the perpetrators are found and punished. We have been all over England and the rest of Europe, never aggression. We come to Belgium once and you are left for dead." "Keep fighting dad," the post on Facebook said.
"We're currently working with our counterparts at Club Brugge as well as Belgian and Greater Manchester Police to establish more information," City said in a statement.
"Our thoughts and best wishes go out to the family and friends of the Belgian-based supporter, who remains in hospital."
Brugge said in a separate statement that they were "horrified" to learn of the incident. "Club Brugge strongly disapproves of all criminal behaviour, both inside and outside the stadium and puts tolerance first," the club said.
