Italian hooligans on rampage

A Liverpool supporter was clubbed around the head with a baseball bat by a gang of rival Juventus fans as tension rose in Turin before tonight's Champions League clash.

Eight people have been arrested following the attack, which happened in a bar and left the victim badly hurt.

It is 20 years since 39 Juventus fans died in the Heysel stadium disaster at the final of the competition between the two teams.

The incident happened after rioting Italian fans forced last night's Champions League quarterfinal to be abandoned after hurling flares and bottles on to the pitch.

AC Milan's goalkeeper was hit and injured by one of the flares thrown towards the end of the match against arch rivals Inter Milan.

Inter look set to be hit by a big fine and a three European match ban from their San Siro stadium.

Trouble started after referee Markus Merk disallowed an Inter goal. As riot police moved into the crowd to prevent chaos, one flare hit goalkeeper Nelson Dida on the shoulder, leaving him with burns and bruises.

In 10 minutes of mayhem, flares and debris continued to rain down on Dida even as he was given medical treatment and Merk called the players off the pitch for their own safety. After a 25-minute break during which firefighters were called in to clear the pitch, the match resumed - only to be called off completely after less than a minute and with 17 minutes still to play as Inter Milan thugs restarted their barrage.

Milan police chief Paolo Scarpi said officers had confiscated "a large number" of flares from fans before the game but admitted dozens had been missed.