MADRID (AFP) - Atletico Madrid defender Pablo Ibanez condemned Tuesday the beating of a club supporter by Sevilla fans before the two side's weekend match in an incident caught on tape and shown on television.

"They are deplorable incidents that have no place in football and should not be allowed to happen again," the 26-year-old told a news conference.

"There is tension on the pitch of course, it is normal, but outside of the pitch it is another game and you have to know how to win and lose," he added.

Images taken on a mobile telephone and broadcast on the Internet and on television showed a man being insulted and attacked as he lay bleeding on the sidewalk outside of Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan stadium just hours before the Spanish league match on Saturday.

No police complaint was filed but the authorities are using the images to try to indentify the culprits, private radio Cadena Ser reported.

Atletico beat Sevilla 2-1. Both sides are competing for the Spanish league's final automatic qualification to play in the Champions League and the win extended Atletico's fourth-place lead over Sevilla and Espanyol to five points.

Sevilla reached the first knockout stage of Europe's top-tier competition this season and is hoping to return.

Earlier this month Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Armando Ribeiro required stitches after he was hit below the right eye by a plastic bottle tossed from the stands during an away match against Sevilla's cross-town rivals Real Betis.

The match was suspended seven minutes later with Athletic leading 2-1.