Chris Heck slams Legia Warsaw in damning statement after violence before Aston Villa match

Aston Villa’s president of business operations, Chris Heck, has slammed Legia Warsaw’s lack of cooperation in the lead up to the Europa Conference League group stage match on Thursday night.

Legia fans attacked West Midlands police officers in the lead up to kick-off and were subsequently barred from entering the stadium. So far, a total of 46 arrests have been made after four officers, two horses and two dogs were injured.

“The lack of cooperation and prevarication from Legia Warsaw officials prior to the match was entirely unacceptable and deeply disappointing,” Heck said. “This behaviour increased the danger that West Midlands Police officers and our own fans were subjected to before the game and the scenes of disorder from the Legia fans have no place in modern football or civilised society.

READ | Unai Emery issues Ollie Watkins injury assessment ahead of Bournemouth vs Aston Villa

READ | I watched on stunned as ‘planned violence’ erupted at Aston Villa’s Europa Conference League game with Legia Warsaw

“Aston Villa will be making further representations to UEFA in order to ensure that other clubs and police forces across Europe are not exposed to similar serious safety risks at the hands of Legia Warsaw.

“We are immensely grateful to West Midlands Police for keeping our supporters and our local community safe last night and are pleased that they will also be making their own representations via the UK police authorities to UEFA.”

Villa won the match 2-1 after Moussa Diaby and Alex Moreno scored either side of Ernest Muci’s leveller. Legia played in front of an empty away end after West Midlands police barred Polish fans from entering the stadium after they attacked officers before kick-off.