Real to protest over van Bommel's gestures

MADRID - Real Madrid will reportedly protest to Uefa over two insulting gestures made by Bayern Munich midfielder Mark van Bommel, after he scored in the teams' Champions League game.

The Spanish club considered Tuesday's actions 'an intolerable provocation'.

Van Bommel, a former player with Madrid's arch-rivals Barcelona, apologised, but said he had been insulted by a Madrid player about his Barcelona connections. He did not name the player.

'It's the first time I've played at the Santiago Bernabeu and I have nothing against the crowd - although I do have something against a player,' he told Catalunya Radio.

Newspaper Marca reacted with indignation to the incident, with its front page accompanying a photo of van Bommel gesturing with the headline: 'They're going to have to swallow this'.

The paper advised Madrid players to 'cut the photo out, stick it in the dressing room and don't stop looking at it until the return leg'.

Sports daily As added that Madrid will also protest that Bayern substitute Hasan Salihamidzic spat at supporters behind the goal straight after van Bommel's goal.

Madrid left-back Roberto Carlos said van Bommel and Salihamidzic's actions were 'disgraceful' and 'do soccer no good'.

ASSOCIATED PRESS