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Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has lifted the lid on his infamous golf club bust-up with Craig Bellamy.

The pair clashed during a training camp in Portugal ahead of the Reds’ Champions League tie with Barcelona back in February 2007.

A team-bonding night out in the Algarve ended painfully for Riise, whose refusal to take part in the karaoke led to him being attacked in his hotel room with an eight iron.

The Norwegian says fears about the possible repercussions for his Liverpool career meant he didn’t seek to get his own back on Bellamy.

“We were allowed to go out on a team dinner on the last night and I remember Rafa Benitez told us we could have one beer.“Some had more than one.....,” Riise said.

“We had a private room in a karaoke bar. Bellamy kept saying: ‘Ginge is going up to sing’. I said: ‘No, I’m not singing. I can do a lot of things but singing is not one of them’.

“Bellamy wouldn’t leave it. I kept saying: ‘No, no, no’, but he kept on annoying me.

“When he grabbed the microphone and said again: ‘Ginge, is coming up to sing’, I went up to his face and told him clearly I wouldn’t be and to stop it.

“I left and went back to my room. I was rooming with Daniel Agger.

“When I heard the key in the door I thought it was Dan coming back but then the lights went on.

“Next thing I saw was a golf club smashing me on my backside.

“I jumped out of bed and was stood in my underwear while Bellamy was there shouting. He just said: ‘9am tomorrow outside my room’. I got there for 8.45am and waited until 9.10am but there was no sign on him.

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“At breakfast all the boys were laughing and when Bellamy walked in they were clapping. Of course I thought about reacting. But in the end I just left it.

“Why? I’m not a fighter. Also I was worried if I did react badly it could be the end of my Liverpool career.”

Instead it was Bellamy who was shown the door five months later when he was sold to West Ham for £7.5million.

In his autobiography the Welshman later described his own actions that night as “pathetic” and “stupidity of the highest level”.

He returned to Liverpool in 2011 and proved a catalyst for Liverpool’s last league Cup winning campaign - scoring the equalising goal against Manchester City in the semi-final second leg to give Liverpool a 3–2 win on aggregate.

Riise was back at Anfield recently working for Norwegian broadcaster TV2 as a pundit.

It proved to be an unhappy return as Liverpool were beaten by Manchester United but the popular left-back has high hopes for his old club under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp.

“I was excited when he got the job. I like his style and his personality and the way he shows his emotions,” Riise said.

“He just needs time to get the squad the way he wants it and to get the players playing how he wants. Next season I’d expect to see real improvement after he’s had a full pre-season to work with the squad.

“I’m still a Liverpool fan. I had seven years at the club and that’s a part of my life I will never forget.

“There is no better stadium to play in than Anfield and I always love coming back.

“Touching the ‘This is Anfield’ sign gave me goosebumps.”

Riise regrets his decision to leave for Roma in the summer of 2008 after Liverpool had spent £7million on a new left-back in Andrea Dossena.

However, he’s a big admirer of Alberto Moreno, who currently occupies that role for the Reds.

“Benitez gave me the option to stay and fight for my place but I knew that Dossena would get four or five months to prove himself in my position,” Riise added.

“I couldn’t sit on the bench waiting for a chance so I left. When I saw that things didn’t go his way, I regretted not staying.

“Liverpool struggled in the left-back position for a number of years and it was hard to watch that.

“Moreno is my type of left-back. He’s offensively minded. People say he can’t defend but that’s not true.

“I like Moreno. I did the Anfield tour on Saturday. He’s wearing the same number as me and he’s got exactly the same spot in the dressing room. I hope he goes on to win trophies at the club like I did.”