Athletic Bilbao have insisted that they be awarded victory over Real Betis after their match was stopped when Armando was struck by a bottle.

Sunday’s fixture at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium was called off 21 minutes from time when Bilbao keeper Armando was hit in the face by a bottle thrown from the crowd.

The Basque club believe that there have been precedents set that mean they should be given all three points from a match they were leading 2-1 before it was halted.

Pointing to Sweden being given the win against Denmark in the Euro 2008 qualifiers when a fan ran on to the pitch, Athletic hope the Spanish football authorities will deliver the same verdict.

“Athletic will answer any case where it is required, but it is evident that this game cannot be finished normally and the evidence of what we saw in Seville shows that,” president Fernando Garcia Macua told reporters.

“A serious decision must be made and punishments must be established, like closing stadiums for several games, and even more if they are moved just two or three kilometres away.

“It cannot be financial penalties as they are built in to the budget of the club and because the same thing could just happen again.”

“Now is not the time for the league to be fearful and to show that we are all Europeans and can manage this.”

Real Betis believe that all their supporters should not suffer because of one person as club lawyer Manuel Castano pleaded: “Our fans should not be punished for this one-off act. We have the right to play the remaining minutes.”