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Manchester United fans targeted with bricks by Ukrainian thugs at Europa League clash
MANCHESTER UNITED fans were met by angry Zorya Luhansk football thugs who bombarded them with bricks and fireworks in Ukraine on Thursday night.
Manchester United fans come under fire in Ukraine
Around 1,000 fans travelled to Ukraine to watch United beat Zorya Luhansk 2-0 and to qualify for the Europa League knock-out stages.
Despite the Ukrainian side already being knocked out of the competition, their fans were in full force as they targeted United supporters on the streets.
Reports have emerged the hooligans were waiting for the fans when they arrived near the Chornomorets Stadium in Odessa.
Footage shows Manchester United supporters being escorted by police around the city as they come under attack from the angry Ukrainian supporters.
Manchester United fans came under fire from Ukrainian supporters
Fireworks are heard exploding in the background as thugs try to get at the English fans to attack them.
Various objects are thrown at the fans and the police who are trying to protect them.
Uefa played down the concerns about the Ukrainian supporters before the match, however these scenes show the danger some fans were in.
Both Feyenoord and Fenerbahce supporters, the other two sides in Group A, suffered attacks from Zorya supporters when they followed their teams to Ukraine.
Manchester United wrote to supporters before the match warning of a threat due to “political sensitivity in the region”.
The letter which was sent over a month ago, read: “For your safety and security you are advised not to wear Manchester United colours when in the Ukraine or attract attention to your presence in the city.
Manchester United supporters escorted by Ukrainian police
Sergio Romero had a firework nearly hit him as someone from the crowd launched it
They fired bricks and bottles at us and fired fireworks
“Due to political sensitivity in the region it is not just opposition football fans who may potentially pose a risk to your safety.”
One Irish Manchester United fan told the Daily Mirror English fans came under fire from bricks and fireworks as they were herded towards the stadium.
He said: “They were waiting for us at the stadium and we walked into hail of missiles. All hell broke loose. They fired bricks and bottles at us and fired fireworks.
“They came out of nowhere and all of a sudden we were under attack. I got hit him myself but luckily I only got a few cuts.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave Manchester United the lead in the 48th minute
Problems were made worse as the stadium is isolated away from the city centre and is located within a park where there is poor lighting, and where gangs could launch an attack.
There was also trouble inside the stadium during the match as ground stewards could be seen defending themselves against violent Ukrainian football supporters attacking them.
Fireworks were also thrown on the pitch during the match with one firecracker exploding near Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero who looked shaken up after the altercation.
Manchester United won the match 2-0 to qualify from Group A thanks to goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
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