Donyell Malen scored twice in the first half
Aston Villa’s Europa League match against Young Boys on Thursday was temporarily suspended due to instances of disorder originating from the away section at Villa Park.
Villa forward Donyell Malen was struck on the head by a plastic cup allegedly thrown from the section housing the visiting supporters while celebrating his opening goal in the 27th minute.
The Dutch player sustained a cut to his head, though he did not require medical intervention.
Play was halted for approximately five and a half minutes following further incidents of objects being thrown at Malen after his second goal in the 42nd minute. Young Boys captain Loris Benito was observed engaging with the away supporters in an attempt to address the situation.
Reports also indicate that a number of seats were removed from the away section and thrown towards the pitch during Villa’s 2-1 victory.
Tom Gayle of BBC Radio 5 Live, reporting from Villa Park, noted: “Each Aston Villa goal has been met with a barrage of objects thrown from the away section onto the playing surface.”
“These incidents reportedly led to clashes involving police and stewards, with two individuals, dressed entirely in black, being escorted away in handcuffs by law enforcement officers.”
Law enforcement officials removed at least two Young Boys supporters from the away section.
Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body will assess the situation and make decisions regarding the alleged fan misconduct on a case-by-case basis.
Sanctions for such offenses commonly involve fines, although more severe incidents may result in bans on supporters attending future away fixtures.
The events share some similarities with those witnessed during the 2023 Conference League final, where West Ham supporters allegedly threw cups onto the pitch, resulting in Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi sustaining a head injury.
Uefa subsequently fined West Ham 50,000 euros (£43,000) and imposed a ban on their fans attending the next two European away games, with the second game ban suspended for two years.
Following the match, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery emphasized the importance of “respect” for both teams when addressing the disturbances, and confirmed that Malen did not require stitches. “I think he is OK,” he stated.
Young Boys manager Gerardo Seoane offered an apology for the scenes, suggesting: “Maybe it was a small provocation [Malen]. That’s how our fans took it. They shouldn’t react so heavily. Our captain went to calm them. The police reacted. It was a pity for everybody.
“We apologise. It’s not how we want to behave as guests.”
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