Aston Villa followers ‘overwhelmed with batons’ as surprising footage goes viral on social media
Aston Villa fans appeared to be hit with batons by the French police ahead of their Europa league clash with Lille on Thursday evening
Footage of the incident went viral on social media
Shocking footage went viral on social media of Aston Villa fans battling with French police ahead of their Europa League clash with Lille.
In the footage, local authorities appear to be swinging batons at a crowd of travelling fans. In the chaos, one Villa supporter can be heard shouting “No” and another said “You’ll get nicked”. Police and stewards are then seen frantically pulling a metal gate closed.
And Villa icon Gabby Agbonlahor has urged authorities to investigate the treatment English football fans are given in UEFA competitions. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “It doesn’t surprise me…
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“I would have to say, I went to PSG away last season in the Champions League, and everyone was on edge before the game. There were some incidents in local bars. Villa fans were attacked.
“But the police did do a good job of sort of getting us all in and getting us all out safely. But I’m not surprised. And what annoys me is that we get a bad name, English fans, when they go abroad.
“But I’m sure the Villa fans, and I had friends that were over there, just want to get into the game. But the way they treat you, and it’s not just Villa, a lot of other fan bases can say the same. They treat you terribly.
“But when we, as police over here, Fenerbahce, they trashed the City ground, Nottingham Forest Stadium, early on in the season.
“I bet they got goody bags on the way out. That’s how nice we are over here to fans that cause carnage and rip seats out. The English fans don’t do that abroad. But they get treated so badly. And there’s got to be something done about it.
“Surely the footage that’s been put out, that can be sent and complaints being made, because kids would have been there.
“I know people that take their kids to European away games. And young kids. Going through that experience is not nice…”
Villa ran out 1-0 winners in France, Ollie Watkins netted the only goal of the game on the hour mark.
Aston Villa have been approached for comment by Daily Star Sport
