Police Violence Overshadows VfB Stuttgart’s 4-0 Europa League Win in The Netherlands

VfB Stuttgart secured a decisive 4-0 victory against the Go Ahead Eagles in their Europa League match in Deventer, Netherlands, but the day was marred by violent clashes between Dutch police and Stuttgart fans. Despite an impressive performance on the field, where Jamie Leweling scored two goals and goalkeeper Undav assisted three, the events off the pitch drew widespread condemnation.

Local authorities prevented three fan buses from reaching the stadium area, citing alleged aggressive behavior towards police. Stuttgart chairman Alexander Wehrle, present at the venue, vehemently rejected these claims, describing the police response as disproportionate and excessive. "Such a thing I have never experienced. Our fans were beaten back into their buses. This is how fan culture in Europe is being destroyed," Wehrle said, expressing deep outrage on RTL. He further explained that fans arriving to collect their tickets were assaulted, although they could not have had tickets beforehand, suggesting that the police were intending to force the fans to leave back to Germany as per an order from the mayor.

Fans were held at the designated meeting point for over an hour amid reports of additional mistreatment and harassment by the police, both before and after the match. Some fans who did enter the stadium later faced delays and further difficulties due to police actions. The unrest led to sections of the guest block being empty as supporters showed solidarity by leaving in protest.

Wehrle confirmed that the club has lodged a formal complaint with UEFA regarding the incidents. He stressed that such treatment is unacceptable in professional football and called for accountability, emphasizing the need to protect fan culture and safety during international matches.

While the team’s excellent performance maintains Stuttgart’s hopeful position in the Europa League standings with 9 points from 5 matches, the violent police actions have cast a shadow over the achievement, raising serious concerns about police conduct and fan treatment in European football events.