Police hold footballers for three days after China bar brawl

Chinese police detained six Tianjin Teda players a week before the new football season begins after they got into a fight following a row at a bar, the club said.

The players spent three days in police custody following the incident on February 21 and have been fined and temporarily banished from the club.

Teda, who have struggled in the Chinese Super League in recent seasons and are coached by the German Uli Stielike, did not name the six involved.

But it said they were from the reserve team and will be required to carry out written self-criticism and "deep reflection."

Teda, who will start the new season with a tricky trip to play Jiangsu Suning at the weekend, said in a statement late on Sunday: "The players violated the rules of the team, went out without permission, quarrelled with others at the entrance of a bar and then had a physical conflict."

It happened in the southwest city of Kunming, where the team were carrying out their pre-season preparations.

"They were punished by the Kunming police with administrative detention for three days," the club said.

Reserve team coaches were not involved but will also be fined.

Teda signed the German former international striker Sandro Wagner from Bayern Munich during the winter transfer window.

They will be hoping that the 31-year-old can score the goals to help them improve on last season, when they very narrowly escaped relegation from China's top tier.