European soccer chiefs have called for a report on crowd violence that erupted during the match between Paris St Germain and Turkish club Galatasaray on Tuesday night in their Champions League clash at the Parc des Princes, a game the home side won 2-0.
The match was interrupted for 20 minutes and nearly 60 fans were injured in the fighting. UEFA's Control and Disciplinary committee will investigate the violence when it meets on March 21st.
French sports minister Marie-George Buffet said yesterday: "I express my emotion and indignation at the acts of unqualified violence provoked by a few individuals.
"Such acts of violence are intolerable. They cannot go unpunished. I have no doubt that the decisions which will be taken by competent soccer authorities will reflect the gravity of the situation." Turkish sports minister Fikret Unlu condemned what he termed "serious organised attacks" aimed at Turkish fans.
"What happened was because of police indifference," said Galatasaray club secretary general Celal Gurcan.
While Unlu added: "Despite warnings, French authorities didn't take the necessary measures. If no one was killed it's because the Turks kept their cool."
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council have lifted their threat to close parts of Old Trafford after the vast majority of Manchester United fans sat down during the Sturm Graz Champions League match on Tuesday night.
The council were ready to shut down sections of the upper West and lower East stands because of the safety risk caused by persistent standing in these areas.
Council officers monitored the Old Trafford crowd during last night's 3-0 win over Graz and reported a substantial improvement in the numbers of fans sitting down.
Councillor Barry Brotherton, who is the council cabinet minister with responsibility for community safety, claimed Trafford would not be serving any order to shut down parts of the ground. News that was welcomed by manager Alex Ferguson.
Norwegian international footballer Staale Solbakken, who suffered a heart attack during training two days ago, is out of danger. Dr Kirsten Eliasen, head of the cardic unit at Rigshospitalet University Hospital, said that the FC Copenhagen midfielder was now breathing without the aid of artificial respiration and had been moved to the intensive care unit.
Everton's Thomas Myhre has completed his loan switch to Danish soccer (FC Copenhagen), while the Merseyside club are on the brink of bringing another Dane to Goodison Park.
Danish international defender Brian Steen Nielsen will discuss personal terms over a possible three-month loan spell, and could go into the squad to face Southampton on Saturday.
FA Cup hero Roy Essendoh is debating whether to accept a contract offer from Wycombe. Essendoh's two-week trial finished on Tuesday night when they lost 10 to Stoke at Adams Park in a Second Division game.
Manager Lawrie Sanchez held talks with the player and his agent Mark Steele after the game. Meanwhile, the clamour for Steve Brown's four-match ban to be overturned is gathering pace. He was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card of the game for ripping off his shirt when Essendoh scored.
The ban comes into effect on Saturday and Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, has pleaded with the FA to rescind it.
