Marseille, France, Jun 11 (EFE).– A 50-year-old English man is battling for his life at a hospital in this southeastern French city after being beaten by a group of Russian fans Saturday ahead of a Euro 2016 Group B game between England and Russia, Marseille’s police prefect, Laurent Nunez, said.

The man, who had suffered a heart attack and was resuscitated by police, was rushed to a hospital in that city in critical condition.

The beating occurred near the Vieux-Port district of downtown Marseille when fans clashed hours before the start of Saturday night’s match at the Stade Velodrome, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Authorities said the man received several blows with a metal bar, some to the head.

A total of three English fans were hospitalized with serious injuries, Marseille’s city government said.

The opposing fans squared off in a pitched battle in the city’s downtown for several hours despite the deployment of riot police, who used tear gas and water cannon.

It was a third consecutive day of violent incidents in Marseille, mostly involving English hooligans, dozens of whom have been arrested.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve condemned the violence, blaming it on “pseudo-fans.”

There were also violent incidents inside the Stade Velodrome during Saturday night’s match, with reports of fighting and the setting off of flares. EFE