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A Liverpool fan reported missing by his family had actually been arrested after 'lashing out at police officers'.

Macauley Negus, 23, vanished in Madrid while watching the Champions League Final - with his family lodging desperate pleas for him to make contact.

But he was actually in custody with Spanish police claiming he was insulting to cops who found him lying drunk in the street.

He had driven to the Spanish capital with his dad to soak up the atmosphere in the fan zone ahead of the clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

And he was due to drive back home on Sunday but vanished following the after-match celebrations.

The search for Macauley, of Plymouth, Devon, had entered a second day with relatives saying they had contacted all the hospitals and police.

But now Spanish Police have confirmed Macauley had been arrested - but didn't show up on records because he was too drunk to give them his real name.

Well-placed police sources confirmed he had been detained for assault.

One said: “Two municipal police officers spotted him lying semi-naked and seemingly unconscious in Goya Street in central Madrid, around 2am on Sunday morning.

(Image: Darren Negus) (Image: Twitter)

“They went to aid him but he was very drunk and reacted badly by punching and kicking the two officers who both suffered minor injuries.

“He was arrested for assault and has been held at the Salamanca district National Police station.

“Police had a missing persons’ report but the reason officers didn’t realise he was the man who had been arrested was because he gave them an incorrect name as a result of the state he was in.

“His name was logged as Mac Kullen which was the name he gave.”

Macauley was hauled to court this morning so he could be questioned by a judge.

The hearing was set to take place in private and is expected to result in him being bailed pending an ongoing investigation.

His brother Ashley also tweeted this morning: "To everyone who has helped my family during this tough time I want to say thank you we have now found Macauley.

(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)

"I will update a statement this evening! My family wants everyone to know we our forever in your debt as with out your help we would not have found him thank you everyone."

The crime Macauley was arrested for in Spanish is ‘atentado contra la autoriadad’ which can cover behaviour such as insulting a police officer as well as assault.

Under Spanish law a conviction can lead to a prison sentence of one to four years, although sentences of two years or less for first-time offenders in Spain are normally suspended.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued in the early hours of this morning, Darren Negus, Macauley’s father, said his family were “desperately worried about his whereabouts”.

They were due to drive 12 hours to Roscoff for a 3pm ferry back to Plymouth today.

Macauley’s brother, Ashley, flew out to Madrid to help his dad in the search for him.

Darren said: “I’ve been searching for Macauley since 8am Sunday morning, and will be out all night and morning in Madrid looking for him with my other son Ashley.

“Macauley was last seen just outside of the Fan Zone. Our family is desperately worried about his whereabouts.”

Darren added: “We drove to Spain together to soak up the atmosphere in the fan zone.

“We were due to drive back home today, Sunday 2 June, but Macauley has not been seen since the after-match celebrations, and we’re desperately worried.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

“Macauley was last seen in the Goya area of Madrid at around 10.30pm, and we are concerned about his whereabouts, and for him to get in touch.”

His brother, Ashley Negus, added: "Just to put everyone in the picture, I flew out to meet my dad we have contacted the hospitals and police and have walked 30 miles today (Sunday) just looking for him!!

"Please just keep sharing. There’s 2,000 people talking about him on twitter, let’s keep that going thanks for all your well wishes.

"Sorry guys been out all night looking he’s now officially reported to the police as a missing person (had to wait 24 hours).

"Someone out there knows where he is or information please keep sharing and a massive Thank you from all his family keep praying."

A British Embassy spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been arrested in Madrid, and our consular staff are in contact with the Spanish police.”