Liverpool fans injured as ticket scramble boils over in Athens

One man was hit on the head and back after a group of some 100 English fans fought over a single ticket for Wednesday's final.

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Another sustained head and chest injuries during a row between 100 drunken fans.

"Both of the men are now in hospital and they have told nursing staff what happened," a police official said. "Their injuries are not serious."

He said officers had gone to the Evangelismos hospital to question the injured men.

More than 50,000 Italian and English fans have arrived in Athens for the final, many of them without tickets.

The British Embassy confirmed a Briton had been arrested in connection with fraudulent tickets.

Greek police said he was accused of selling tickets worth €58,000 (£39,400) to an Italian travel agent.

The fight involving the two English men took place in a street near Monastiraki Square in the city centre at 2am.

Meanwhile fans said they were being asked €1,500 (£1,024) for tickets by locals, down from €2,500 (£1,706) yesterday.

Geoff Gillespie, 43, from Grimsby, who is holidaying in Zante, said: "I'm not going to pay that sort of money. At the moment I rate my chances of getting in as 5 per cent or less. I'll go up to the ground and see if I can get any there, if not I'll come back and watch it in a bar."

The traditional Liverpool humour was displayed in many of the banners.

One said: "No ticket - who cares", and another: "European Cup finals - you wait ages for one ..." A reference to Liverpool being in two in three years.

In 2005, they beat AC Milan in Istanbul - a feat they will want to repeat tonight to lift their sixth European crown.

At 1.15pm local time, the fans in the Square were drenched by a torrential downpour which swept across Athens.

Meanwhile around 150 Liverpool FC fans are stranded at home after an airline cancelled its flight to Athens ahead of tonight's final.

The Jet Time Airways flight was due to take off from Liverpool John Lennon airport at 12.15pm this afternoon but was cancelled due to technical problems.

It was the last flight of the day leaving from the airport to the Greek capital.

Around 8,000 people flew out of the airport this morning, making it one of their busiest ever days.

Airport spokesman Robin Tudor said: "It is particularly disappointing for us as it has been a fantastic morning with a great atmosphere among all the fans travelling to Greece.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances the last flight was cancelled and this has left 150 fans absolutely devastated, quite understandably so."