latest Birmingham Aston Villa newsLive prior to Thursday’s Europa Conference League trip for the Villans to take on AZ Alkmaar
When the supporters of Aston Villa travel to the Netherlands on Thursday to witness their team play AZ Alkmaar, they will encounter “an increased security presence”.
The report comes after a number of events plagued Alkmaar’s Europa Conference League match against Legia Warsaw earlier this month. Last season, the same tournament also experienced issues against West Ham.
On October 6, two Legia players were taken into custody following fights with fans. Before the game, a group of Legia supporters rushed an access gate, which Dutch police claimed had left one officer unconscious. This prompted the deployment of riot police.
Additionally, according to the Mail Online, Villa supporters should anticipate “an increased security presence” when they travel to the Netherlands for this week’s matchup.
“Supporters who use excessive and unacceptable violence against police and stewards are not welcome in our city,” Alkmaar Mayor Anja Schouten declared following the Legia clash. Before the game, the vicinity of the stadium and Alkmaar station had been deemed dangerous by the police.
In Group E of the, Villa has had a mixed start. League of Conference Europa. A much-needed 1-0 victory over Zrinjski following an impromptu 3-2 loss at Legia Warsaw.
On Thursday, they play a squad from Alkmaar, who are second in the group and have won their past four games in all competitions.
