Poland's prime minister and football authorities demanded explanations from the Netherlands on Friday as two Legia Warsaw players were detained after scuffles with police following the Europa Conference League match at AZ Alkmaar.
Portuguese player Josue and Serbia’s Radovan Pankov, who had been taken off the team bus by police, remained in custody while the rest of the squad returned to Poland.
It was not immediately clear what provoked the scuffles after Legia lost 1-0 to Group E rivals Alkmaar on Thursday.
Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who is campaigning ahead of Octover 15 parliamentary elections, said he had tasked Poland's diplomats to investigate the matter.
❗️🇳🇱 🇵🇱 Skandal w Holandii po meczu Az Alkmar - Legia Warszawa. Kapitan polskiego klubu aresztowany pod stadionem!
— Dominik Serwacki 🇵🇱 ✍️ 🌍 (@DominikSerwacki) October 5, 2023
Holenderskie służby blokują możliwość wyjazdu autokarowi z piłkarzami klubu ze stolicy.
Ochrona stadionu nie chciała wypuścić części zawodników Legii z obiektu.… pic.twitter.com/8uFpW1ih9q
Morawiecki said on X, previously Twitter, that “Polish players and fans must be treated according to law. We do not agree to law violations.”
The secretary general of Poland's PZPN Football Federation, Lukasz Wachowski, said he is demanding explanations from his Dutch counterparts and UEFA.
All four teams in Group E, the others are Aston Villa and Zrinjski Mostar, have three points after two matches.
