Aston Villa's crucial Europa League victory over Young Boys was severely overshadowed on Thursday night after forward Donyell Malen was struck by a missile thrown from the away section, leaving him bleeding and causing a significant stoppage in play.
Match Halted as Violence Erupts
The incident occurred at Villa Park after Malen, who had just scored the opening goal in the 27th minute, celebrated in front of the travelling Swiss supporters. A plastic cup was launched from the crowd, hitting the player and causing a cut to his head. The game was stopped for more than five minutes following his second goal just before half-time, as the situation escalated.
Objects were thrown towards Villa players on both occasions they scored, with Malen being the primary target. While he did not require formal medical treatment, the cut was visible. The disorder prompted dozens of police officers in riot gear to be deployed in front of the away end, and clashes broke out between fans and officers in the Doug Ellis Stand.
Villa's Dominant Performance on the Pitch
Despite the unsavoury events off the pitch, Aston Villa delivered a commanding performance. Donyell Malen was the star, scoring a first-half double to take his season tally to six goals. The first came from a superb Youri Tielemans cross which Malen expertly headed home. His second was a skilful finish after cutting inside, assisted by Morgan Rogers.
The home side thought they had a third and a hat-trick for Malen, but it was ruled out for offside. Young Boys also had a goal disallowed after a VAR review before Joel Monteiro scored a late consolation in the 90th minute. The result marks Villa's seventh consecutive home win and their fourth victory in five Europa League outings.
A History of Trouble and the Aftermath
The behaviour of the Young Boys supporters evoked memories of previous incidents. The Swiss club was previously fined €28,250 for similar issues at Manchester City and around €18,000 for pyrotechnics at Celtic. During the stoppage, order was only partially restored after Young Boys captain Loris Benito appealed for calm from the fans.
Fortunately, no further trouble was reported after the interval, allowing Villa to see out the match and secure three vital points. However, the focus post-match will undoubtedly be on the unacceptable actions of a section of the away support, which left a negative stain on an otherwise positive European night for the Birmingham club.
