Hospitalised Valencia coach has to grin and boar it

Marcelino's journey from Valencia to Asturias for Christmas was interrupted by a brief visit to hospital after the coach's car collided with a boar.

It had already been a bad weekend for the 52-year-old, who watched his third-placed Valencia team lose 1-0 at home to former side Villarreal on Saturday.

LaLiga leaders Barcelona earlier extended their advantage at the top of the table courtesy of a thumping 3-0 Clasico win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

And after failing to keep pace with the frontrunners, Marcelino's trip home was then sidetracked following the collision with a wild animal.

"This morning Marcelino Garcia Toral suffered a traffic accident while traveling back to Asturias, to spend the holidays with his family," Valencia said in a statement on Sunday. 

"The accident occurred on the road from Logrono to Bilbao, when a boar crossed the road and collided with his vehicle. He was treated at the hospital and has already received medical discharge."