Football news - Manchester United fans attacked ahead of Europa League final in Gdansk, Poland
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/05/2021 at 14:10 GMT
Up to 9,500 fans will be allowed into the Gdansk Stadium for the final on Wednesday, with at least 2,000 supporters flying in from both Spain and Britain. Witnesses said the attackers were heard shouting the name of local football club Lechia. Police said they were analysing video footage and expected to make arrests.
The 2021 Europa League final is being held in Gdansk
Image credit: Getty Images
A group of Manchester United fans visiting Gdansk for the Europa League final were attacked on a restaurant terrace late on Tuesday, Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reported, citing local police.
United confirmed they are helping the victims who were caught up in the events that unfolded ahead of their Europa League final against La Liga club Villarreal at Gdańsk Stadium.
In a statement, United said: “Club staff were assisting a number of United fans in Gdansk last night [Tuesday] and today after an incident where some of our supporters were attacked outside a bar in the city.”
Local mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz condemned the attack on a group of between 20 and 30 fans, saying in a statement that Gdansk was an open city with no place for violence.
She said: "Yesterday there was a hooligan attack on the fans of the teams that came to the Europa League final. In Gdansk, an open and solidarity-based city, there is no place for any violence.
"Dear Manchester United and Villarreal fans, all guests who came to Gdansk - you are always appreciated here and we cordially welcome you to our city."
VILLARREAL PRESIDENT TO MISS FINAL
Villarreal president Fernando Roig will not watch his side in Wednesday's Europa League final after organisers UEFA said he could not form part of the team's bubble in Gdansk after recently recovering from Covid-19.
A statement from Villarreal on the day of the final said Roig had travelled to Gdansk on a private jet while complying with health regulations but UEFA said not enough time had passed since he caught the virus for him to have contact with the team.
"Given it was impossible to share this historic occasion with the rest of the travelling party from the inside, the president has decided to return to Spain," Villarreal said in a statement.
Billionaire Roig, whose family founded the supermarket chain Mercadona, became Villarreal's president in 1997 and was the architect of their rise to becoming one of the top sides in Spanish football.
Additional reporting from Reuters.
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