UEFA's Europa League match between Aston Villa and BSC Young Boys was dramatically halted following violent scenes involving away supporters at Villa Park on Thursday evening.
Match Disrupted by Missile-Throwing Fans
The disorder erupted after Donyell Malen scored Villa's second goal in the 2025/26 League Phase MD5 encounter. This followed an earlier incident where the Dutch forward had objects thrown at him after netting his first goal, with Malen appearing to suffer a cut to his head from the missiles.
Following Malen's knee-slide celebration for his second goal, Young Boys captain Loris Benito approached the away section, visibly pleading with his own supporters to calm down. However, his intervention failed as some fans began fighting among themselves.
Seats and Drinks Hurled at Officers
The situation rapidly escalated when BSC Young Boys supporters began throwing drinks and ripped-out seats at police officers and stewards attempting to restore order. The violent conduct forced referee Georgi Kabakov to halt play for several minutes as security struggled to contain the chaos.
Several Aston Villa players, including goalscorer Malen, were struck by objects during the disturbances. Some supporters were subsequently removed from the stadium by security personnel.
Eventual Resumption Amid Tension
After a delay of several minutes, referee Kabakov eventually blew his whistle to restart the match. The game continued despite the earlier disruptions, with Villa securing an important victory in their European campaign.
The incident represents another challenge for UEFA in managing crowd behaviour in European competitions, with the governing body likely to review the events at Villa Park closely.
