🔗 Share this article

Two goals from the Dutch striker propelled Aston Villa toward direct qualification into the knockout stage of the European competition against a backdrop of crowd violence by Young Boys supporters.

The Netherlands forward showcased Villa’s improved strength in depth, but this 10th win in 12 games was marred by visiting fans ripping up seats, hurling missiles at security and home team athletes, and clashing with police.

Since the start of the current season, no club has won more European matches at their own stadium (thirteen out of fifteen) than Unai Emery’s side. The Villa manager appears likely to claim the trophy for a fifth time.

Match Overview and Disturbance Details

Young Boys supporters had helped dictate the initially positive mood prior to the opening strike. Their coordinated clapping, drumming, pogoing and chanting lent the early kick-off a sense of a European night, although what followed both first-half goals was inexcusable by all measures.

Under circumstances similar to past incidents with their fans in the past two years, the Young Boys ultras reacted to the first goal in the first half by throwing plastic cups at the jubilant home team, with the scorer suffering a cut to the head.

Young Boys had been fined €28,250 by Uefa and ordered to pay City compensation for damaging stadium facilities in their European top-tier match just over two years ago. They were also further penalized last season for the use of pyrotechnics in their volatile Champions League visit.

Worsening of Trouble

However, the situation got worse after Malen doubled the lead three minutes before half-time. As the Dutch forward smiled on doing a knee-slide in the general direction of the travelling fans, the fans reacted by ripping out chairs to throw alongside more plastic cups and fluids at the growing numbers of security personnel.

Fighting broke out with law enforcement while Loris Benito, the Young Boys captain, approached to plead for peace from his club's fans. No fewer than two trouble-makers were escorted away by officers. Play experienced a lengthy delay until play could recommence and the half be completed.

Away supporters confront police and stewards during a eventful opening period.

On-Field Display

Nonetheless, it was been a highly positive period on the field for Villa as they pursued a seventh successive victory at their ground. Malen, who made such an immediate impact when coming on during the break in a previous match, was selected to lead the attack, one of seven changes to the team sheet.

He capitalized fully of his chance, incisive and pacy for all of his hour in play. The opposition keeper had been forced to save his brilliant 25-yard shot in the early stages, and both teammates came close before the Dutchman nodded home the delivery from a teammate. The home side were so dominant that eight players were part of the move.

The move for the second goal was somewhat more direct but no less pleasing to watch. A teammate played a superb through pass for Malen to take in his stride through the channel before he cut back inside a defender and smashed in his sixth goal of the campaign.

Aftermath and Conclusion

Maybe the scorer should not have celebrated in the visiting supporters’ direction, but the crowd violence was utterly unjustifiable as it was extreme.

A subdued mood over the next half hour as the Young Boys fans, largely wearing dark attire, refrained from singing. Jadon Sancho had a shot saved, and Rogers was correctly given offside before providing an assist for a simple finish.

When Villa rang the changes on the sixty-minute point, offering four of their main players extra time before the derby with Wolves, the visiting fans resumed their noise. “We forgot that you were here,” was the home crowd's retort.

When Young Boys did first get the ball in the goal, a forward sidefooting in a delivery, there was a protracted video review before the goal was disallowed for an offside in the buildup. The assistant referee on that side had shuffled up his line towards halfway and away from the Young Boys supporters by the time the verdict was announced.

In stoppage time, though, Joël Monteiro scored a consolation goal, after a diagonal pass, and this time video review upheld the visitors their brief jubilation.

Following the political backdrop to the last Europa League game at this venue, the team will travel to Switzerland next month hoping for a peaceful visit and the three points that should safeguard their passage into the last 16 of the tournament.