Arsenal players Thierry Henry, Sylvain Wiltord and Ray Parlour had to run for safety last night as hooligans rioted, causing the abandonment of a pre-season friendly with Rapid Vienna.
Manager Arsene Wenger told his team to make a dash for cover as rival groups of Vienna thugs fought in the small Austrian town of Eisenstadt.
Violence erupted midway through the second half, with planks of wood and missiles being thrown in the stands. The referee suspended play after 66 minutes with the game goalless. Several hundred Arsenal fans were present, although not involved in the trouble.
There was an 11-minute holdup before Wenger spoke to the referee. Play then resumed for a minute before both teams made a sprint for the dressing-rooms.
Wenger said: 'I was worried from the moment we came into the ground. It was an extremely hostile atmosphere and the lack of security was worrying. We agreed to play on until we reached the far end of the stadium where we could run to safety.'
- NEWS
