A Manchester United fan is stranded in Spain after thugs beat him up and stole his passport.
Kieran Spencer, 21, was 'jumped' by a gang following the Reds' Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, his friends said.
He was allegedly beaten and spat at by four yobs who then stole his passport, mobile phone, flight boarding passes and Covid certificates.
It's understood he wasn't seriously injured, but was punched and kicked in an alleyway in the early hours of Saturday
Kieran's friends say Apple Pay on his mobile was the only form of payment he had.
Pal Jamie Watson, 23, from Bolton, has organised a GoFundMe page.
He said: "His friends and family are all worried sick.
"Nobody can get regular contact with Kieran as he's relying on locals to borrow their phones to get in touch.
"His only option was to wait for the embassy to reopen."
They said he was attacked just hours before his flight home to Manchester on Saturday - and was forced to wait before he could apply for an emergency passport at the UK embassy in Madrid.
His friends are now rallying round to get him home safe.
Through them, his family said more should be done to help young tourists abroad who find themselves in a situation like Kieran is in.
Kieran, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, is studying at the University of Sheffield.
An avid Manchester United fan, his friends said he is part of a group who travel to watch the Red Devils play whenever they can.
Kieran flew out to Madrid alone but met friends over there and was staying at a rented flat in the city ahead of last Wednesday night's game.
Jamie said details were scarce, but apparently Kieran got access to the embassy when it reopened on Monday.
He believes he's now applied for an emergency passport, but faces a wait of a few days.
"We are not too sure of the full story because we have not had any contact with him," said Jamie.
"Kieran had been in Madrid following his favourite football team Manchester United as they were facing Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital.
"All of this happened hours before he was due to return to Manchester.
"He managed to get a message to me on Saturday via a random Instagram account.
"We set up the GoFundMe to give him some support.
"They have ordered an emergency passport but it takes a few days and we think the earliest he will be able to come home is Wednesday."
Jamie says he believes friends have booked him a hotel for tonight - Monday - and a flight.
But he said he's been told Kieran has been sleeping at one of Madrid's two airports in the meantime.
Jamie said: "Initially he had no phone and was just basically on the streets.
"It seems to sound a lot better now but on Saturday night people were very worried about him.
"He was just trying to borrow people's mobile phones I think."
United drew the first leg of the knock-out tie 1-1 , with Anthony Elanga clawing the Reds level in the 80th minute.
The home leg takes place at Old Trafford on March 15.
