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IVAN THE BRAVE FOILS KIDNAP BID

BARCELONA midfielder Ivan de la Pena has emerged unscathed from a kidnap attempt, which has seen one man arrested and Spanish police searching for another.

The Little Buddha found himself chased through the streets of Barcelona after a training session, and only the performance of his high-powered sports car helped him escape.

The man who has been arrested is said to have serious mental problems, with some reports suggesting that he has a suicidal nature, while the police have stated that they will do everything they can to catch his assailant.

De la Pena, who has been advised not to talk about the incident by police, has not been too badly affected and has not missed any training sessions, but has warned his team-mates to be vigilant.

Spanish Under-21 star Xavi said: "After what has happened to Ivan, we are going to have to be more cautious, but we are not going to live in fear."

His team-mate Sergi added: "It is best not to mention too much about the incident, although you can't hide the fact that there remains a slight worry."