Aston Villa are on red alert in Alkmaar with security raised as they travel to the Netherlands where the hosts’ fans attacked fought two Legia Warsaw players earlier this month and attacked West Ham supporters in May

• Aston Villa have travelled to the Netherlands to take on AZ Alkmaar on Thursday
• There will be a heightened security presence after recent troubling events
• Friends and families of West Ham players were attacked in Alkmaar last season

Aston Villa fans will face an increased security presence in the Netherlands on Thursday after the remarkable incidents that marred AZ Alkmaar’s tie against Legia Warsaw earlier this month and the trouble that flared when West Ham visited in May.

Two Legia players were arrested after Alkmaar’s 1-0 win on October 6 when they were involved in altercations with supporters. Earlier, riot police had been deployed before kick-off when a group of Legia fans stormed an entrance gate, which Dutch police said had left one officer unconscious.

AZ were fined nearly £70,000 by UEFA in July over the behaviour of their supporters during their Europa Conference League semi-final, second leg against West Ham in May. AZ fans attacked an area in which West Ham players’ friends and family were seated, with players — and fan Chris Knoll — subsequently trying to intervene to protect them.

While Villa supporters are unlikely to be treated in the same fashion as Legia fans, who have a poor reputation across Europe, Dutch authorities are set to be on red alert ahead of the Europa Conference League fixture.

After the Legia encounter, Alkmaar mayor Anja Schouten said: ‘Supporters who use excessive and unacceptable violence against police and stewards are not welcome in our city.’ In the build-up to that game, police had declared the area around Alkmaar station and the stadium a safety risk.

Aston Villa fans will face an increased security presence for their clash with AZ Alkmaar

In May, AZ fans attacked an area in which West Ham players’ friends and family were seated, with players — and fan Chris Knoll — subsequently trying to intervene to protect them

Boss Unai Emery is expected to make changes with Villa taking on Luton in the Premier League on Sunday and Jhon Duran is in contention after the Spaniard revealed he had had talks with the striker after the young forward deleted all references to Villa from his social media channels, with suggestions the Colombian was unhappy at his lack of first-team starts this season.

Duran was not included in the squad for last Sunday’s 4-1 win over West Ham but has travelled for this fixture.

Emery said: ‘I asked him about it (social media) and he told me it was not relevant. We spoke about everything. As long as they respect everything, they can do with their social media what they want. I can’t control that.

‘We have to help him, try to focus him on his football, training and how he can progress with us.’

Several incidents also marred AZ Alkmaar’s tie against Legia Warsaw earlier this month

Unai Emery also insisted there are no problems with Jhon Duran despite the fact the young Colombian forward deleted all references to Villa from his social media channels

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