Madrid  - Spanish football has reacted with shock to the assault on Fernando Caceres which left the former Primera Division player in a critical condition.

Caceres, 40, was a fast and agile centre-back for Liga clubs Zaragoza, Valencia and Celta Vigo, 1993-2004, and played for Argentina at the 1994 World Cup.

On Sunday Caceres, who is now a nursery team coach at Argentine giants Independiente, was the victim of a criminal assault in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

A gang of criminals, some of them possibly underage, tried to steal his car. It appears that he resisted the assault and was shot in the head.

Caceres has been in a coma for two days, and has had his right eye extracted in a difficult operation.

Alejandro Collia, viceminister for health in Buenos Aires province, said on Monday that "he continues in a critical condition... The doctors continue to work to save his life."

Radio Marca on Tuesday gave a pessimistic update on Caceres' condition, and expressed the hope that "he manages to recover from this horror."

Zaragoza, Valencia and Celta have all sent messages of sympathy and support to Caceres and his family.

Victor Fernandez, Zaragoza coach in the 1990s, said on Television Espanola that "this is terrible news... we are all hoping that Fernando recovers." (dpa)