Scandal. Unknown assailants in balaclavas attack European competition participant's delegation
Liam Garcia
Dailysports's expert
Today, the second-leg matches of the UEFA Conference League's second qualifying round are set to take place, but one of them has already been overshadowed by a major scandal before the opening whistle.
Details: In Białystok, Poland, the return fixture between local side Jagiellonia and Serbian club Novi Pazar is scheduled. Representatives of the visiting club reported that as the Novi Pazar delegation was leaving a restaurant, approximately 15 masked individuals in balaclavas attempted to assault members of their group.
The delegation called the police, but as they tried to get into their vehicle, they were attacked by as many as 30 people. The club has expressed serious concern for the safety of its delegation and dissatisfaction with the slow response from local law enforcement.
Novi Pazar also refused to participate in the traditional pre-match lunch scheduled for Thursday in accordance with UEFA protocol. UEFA, Jagiellonia, and the Podlaskie Voivodeship police have all declined to comment on the incident.
Recall: The Polish league's reigning medalists also received a "warm" welcome in Serbia, where, according to club president Zemovit Deptuła, around two thousand people gathered outside the team's hotel.
The first leg ended with a 2-1 victory for Jagiellonia, and the Serbian club has banned its supporters from traveling to the away match due to safety concerns.
