‘Shut the f*** up or I’ll smash you’ – John Arne Riise recalls a shocking moment on being attacked by c whilst at Liverpool.
In the build-up to a 2017 Champions League match in Barcelona, Liverpool headed to the Algarve for a stay at Barringtons Golf and Spa hotel.
What was supposed to be a team bonding exercise turned into a horrifying ordeal for Riise, when Bellamy infamously entered his hotel room with a golf club.
The Norwegian has recently spoken about the events leading up to the incident in his autobiography, beginning at dinner.
John Arne Riise has revealed Craig Bellamy came into his room to attack him with a golf club..
What a story 🤯🤯🤯
📹 @Filthy_Fellaspic.twitter.com/EECtZJKW8j
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) July 21, 2022
In an excerpt in the Guardian, Riise wrote: “A couple of the lads started drinking before the food arrived.
“Among them was Craig Bellamy. Pretty soon a microphone appeared on the table and Bellamy bellowed into it: ‘Riise’s gonna sing! Riise’s gonna sing!’
“He started before the food was served and continued while we ate. He was already quite drunk, and I was already quite annoyed.
“Pretty soon Bellamy was over by the karaoke machine with the microphone in the hand: ‘Riise’s gonna sing! Riise’s gonna sing!’
“Furious, I went over to him: ‘I’m not singing. Shut the f*** up or else I’m gonna smash you!’
“He screamed back: ‘I’m gonna f***ing kill you, you ginger c***!”
Riise, who had been sharing a room with Daniel Agger, soon went back to his room – only for an unwanted visitor to turn up.
He continued: “I woke in the dark to hear someone opening the door. Obviously, I thought it was Agger. I turned, but my eyes were half-asleep, and I didn’t see anything in the sudden, bright glare.
“But something made me realise that it wasn’t Agger. And soon I could see him – Craig Bellamy at the foot of my bed with a golf club in his hands.
“Steve Finnan, who shared a room with Bellamy, was there too, but he just stood there.
“Bellamy raised the club over his head and swung as hard as he could. He tried to hit my shins, which would have ended my career, but I managed to pull my leg away in time.
“I jumped out of bed, pulled off the sheet and held it between us like I was some kind of half-awake matador. Bellamy sputtered: ‘Nobody disrespects me like that in front of the lads!’ He was completely gone.
“I don’t care if I go to jail! My kids have enough money for school and everything. I don’t care. I’ll f***ing do you!’
“He raised the club and swung again. This time he connected. Full force on my hip. I was so pumped with adrenaline that I didn’t feel the pain, but he hit me hard. It was an iron.
“The next blow smashed into my thigh. I tried to hold up the sheet, but he continued to strike. He could seriously injure me. At the same time, I knew I could take Bellamy if I needed to. I was bigger and stronger.
“I tried to calm him down: ‘Put down the club and let’s fight with our fists. Come on! A proper fight!’ He just stood and glowered at me. Then he said: ‘Tomorrow at nine o’clock we’ll meet and finish this.’ Then he left.”
Boss Rafael Benitez ended up handing Bellamy with a fine worth up to £80,000, before starting both the Welshman and Riise against Barcelona.
The pair managed to score on that famous night, with Bellamy performing a golf swing celebration after his equaliser before teeing Riise up for the winner.
Bellamy also said: “We were playing golf and like I say, I never really played then so it was me, Robbie Fowler, John Arne Riise and I don’t know if Steve Finnan was playing with us. I don’t know, it was hard work all-round.
“I see a ball splash in the water and then I found it outside the water. I haven’t found it, he (Riise) found it and it was difficult. You don’t want to say anything at the time and it just grated on me.
“We went out for the evening, there were songs. People had a song and he didn’t go on the Christmas do that year. He said he had to fly to Norway, then we found out there were no flights so he didn’t go and he was fined for it, but he had to sing a song as well.
“Me being me, after the day as well, I wasn’t letting him get away with not singing and I could see he didn’t want to do it.
“Then, he took offence to it, he told me in no uncertain terms he wasn’t singing and to stop mentioning it, but not that polite and the longer the evening went, the more it annoyed me.”
Describing what later happened in Riise’s hotel room, he went on: “I knocked on his door, there’s no good way of it, certainly not proud, I don’t particularly like (it), it’s not a great moment for me at all.
“Honestly, I went in there, smacked him across the a**.”
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Fans reacted as John Arne Riise speaks on being attacked by Craig Bellamy…
@Naztee196: That night in Barca was amazing. Tactical master class from Benitez
@ChrisHPE: Kills me that few days later it was Craig Bellamy who was the one to set up John Arne Riise for the winner at the Camp Nou.
@Razorlight123: “Pistols at dawn” had me crying!
@TattooedHeathen: I do wish Riise had flattened Bellamy tho
@SolaEgunjobi: Perfect ending… Bellamy celebrated with a golf swing…
@0utiss: I can’t even see a world where Craig Bellamy survives a fight with him there
@lbyahans: Best football content on the TL today
@BraydenFrench3: Wow that is some story! Both headcases to be fair.
@josh_wats09123: Bellamy what a nutter 🤣
@lfcOscar11: what was bellamy thinking 😭 who tf picks a fight with daniel agger and john arne risse????
@stevokech6ft: Madness 😂😂😂😂
@willllyeah: It’s not though, is it? Bellamy tried to end his career and nobody stuck up for him, Bellamy should be in prison
@ToffeeMc1878: Bellamy lad. Up there with one of the most dislikeable footballers ever him.
@RemiiTerry: this whole time , me thinking he was talking about ufc 💀
@jayrowee: Riise was a criminally underrated player.
@EllisPrince4: Riise doesn’t strike me as a bloke you’d like to meet in a dark alley that’s for sure 😂
Iconic moment for him 😄 pic.twitter.com/EZEM6jZQoG
— JDTV (@JD_TV_) July 20, 2022
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