Young Boys manager Gerardo Seoane has apologised after Aston Villa's Donyell Malen was struck on the head by an object thrown from the crowd during their Europa League clash at Villa Park. Malen, who scored twice in Villa's 2-1 victory, was left with a cut to the head, forcing a five-minute pause in the match.
Seoane expressed regret over the incident, which also saw clashes between away supporters and police. He explained that some fans had come down from the stand to speak to players, but police misinterpreted their intentions, believing they were attempting to jump onto the pitch. The manager also suggested that Villa players celebrating in front of the Young Boys crowd may have provoked the reaction.
“It's normal when you score a goal that you want to be with your team-mates. Maybe it was a small provocation,” Seoane said. “Our fans should not react so angrily. We apologise. No one wins at the end; everybody loses in this situation.”
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, who has a strong Europa League record, remained tight-lipped on the specific incident but described the scenes as “not necessary.” He confirmed that Malen was okay and called for respect from both sides.
Villa have now won nine of their last 11 matches, climbing to third in the Europa League group and boosting their domestic form.
