Three football fans were killed during clashes between rival fans which saw three dead and 10 people injured in Honduras.

Reports in the South American country also claim that former Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre was amongst those caught up in the clashes.

Violence erupted before the local derby clash between Olimpia and Motagua after a bus carrying Motagua’s players was attacked before the game.

Izaguirre, 33, shared an image of himself sporting a dressing after glass damaged his eye when their vehicle was pelted with objects, the Mirror report.

Violence is believed to have escalated after the attack, leaving three people dead and at least 10 injured as the National Football League called off the game.

Riot police was seen wading using tear gas whilst the chaos spread into the stadium, where 20,000 people were expected to attend the game.

“Three people died and seven were shot and stabbed. One of them is a boy. Three of the injured adults are in critical condition,” Laura Schoenherr, a spokeswoman for the state University School Hospital, told Reuters news agency.

Izaguirre, who spent seven years with Celtic, said it is “painful” thinking of those killed in the clashes in an Instagram post.

Motagua blamced the Ultra-Faithful Olimpia fan club for the incident and demanded they be “severely sanctioned by the authorities”.

The club said Izaguirre and team-mates Roberto Moreira and Jonathan Rougier were transferred to hospital with facial wounds.

A statement from the Ministry of Security confirmed the bus attack and said its perpetrators wore the uniforms of the rival Olimpia team.

The ministry added in the statement that it had set up “five rings of security” ahead of the game.

The president of Olympia club, Rafael Villeda, told local press that he would meet with the leadership of the National League and Motagua to decide on the future of the game.

Photo Credit: Express & Star