Everton fans attacked in Lille ahead of Europa League game
Everton supporters 'clash with police' in Lille ahead of Europa League game
(35 minutes later)
Two Everton fans suffered minor facial injuries after about 50 Lille supporters, armed with metal chairs, attacked them in a city centre bar.
Everton supporters have reportedly been involved in clashes with French police ahead of their Europa League match with Lille.
The clubs face each other in a Europa League group-stage match in the northern French city on Thursday.
Images have appeared on Twitter of fans of the Merseyside club congregated in the city's Grand Place square.
Merseyside Police said the fans had been discharged from a local hospital after Wednesday night's attack.
Everton advised fans to avoid the square, amid reports of a flare-up involving police and the use of tear gas.
Everton FC added: "This was the only incident in what was otherwise a good-natured evening in the city centre."
'Pepper spray'
Everton fan Andrew Broughton, who was at the bar with his family, said his father Keith was punched and hit by a chair.
He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "We heard a noise outside and a chair hit the window. The door was getting hit and we could see more than 40 people coming towards the bar.
"My dad had gone outside to call my mum and he looked round and saw men coming towards them.
"A chair hit him across the face and it cut his eyebrow."
Keith Broughton was treated in hospital where he was given five stitches, his son said.
"Most had hoods up to hide their faces. The bar staff were brilliant though and stopped them getting into the bar.
"My brother and his friend were outside too and they told me they were pepper-sprayed by Lille police when they arrived."
Merseyside Police officers are in Lille to assist the policing of Thursday's game.
