Welcome to hell! Tonight Bolton will enter the notorious Marakana stadium. On Sunday, rioting fans tried to kill a policeman

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Attempted murder: (from top left) the plainclothes policeman is attacked by a fan wielding a flare, then others join in as the incident escalates

Top right, the policeman flees for his life and only escapes by drawing his gun

Gary Speed has re-assured his Bolton teammates they can handle Red Star's notorious Marakana stadium as they prepare to play for their UEFA Cup lives tonight in Belgrade.

Rioting Red Star fans badly burned a plainclothes policeman with a flare during a league match at the weekend in horrific scenes that alarmed Europe's football authorities.

Two Serb supporters were arrested after the 1-1 draw with strugglers Hajduk Kula, with police treating the case as attempted murder and the accused men facing jail sentences of up to five years.

There have been other incidents — hardcore Red Star fans, known as the Gypsies, were tear-gassed in clashes with Greek police before and after their 3-0 UEFA Cup defeat by Aris in Salonika last month.

A massive police presence will protect 500 anxious Bolton fans hoping for the 2-0 group victory Gary Megson's reshuffled team need to progress after draws with Braga, Bayern Munich and Aris.

Veteran former Wales midfielder Speed will calm any pre-match nerves in the Bolton dressing room.

He said last night: 'I've played here with Wales and twice with Newcastle. It can be horrible when you're playing, but you get used to it.

'It's just like any east European ground — the fans are very vociferous and there are things going on.'