Aston Villa has confirmed why Thursday is the 'only option' for the UEFA Europa League final parade. During the planning process, Villa — who won the trophy on Wednesday night — explored the possibility of recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking the players to Victoria Square.
Villa also explored erecting a stage in Centenary Square to allow for greater fan engagement. It said: 'Unfortunately, due to ongoing works and safety concerns at Victoria Square, and advice from authorities around the risk of overcrowding at Centenary Square, both proposals were ruled out.'
'We fully respect those decisions – the safety of everyone attending, and of the general public, is paramount.' It added: 'We know many of you are eager to celebrate and we want to bring our fanbase together as quickly as possible, but a number of factors have shaped both the timing and the format of the parade.'
On why Thursday was chosen, Villa explained the squad will train on Friday, before travelling to Manchester on Saturday ahead of Sunday's final Premier League fixture of the season against Manchester City.
Birmingham Pride also takes place in the city centre on Monday, May 25, and many players are due to report to their international squads ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Together, these factors made Thursday, May 21 the only viable option.
It said: 'The Club is grateful for the support and cooperation of the local community and authorities for accommodating the unavoidable disruption from the parade. Aston Villa are covering all costs associated with the event.'
'We are fully aware that some supporters who made the journey to Istanbul may not be back home in time.' For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on VillaTV, as well as on YouTube and across the Club's social media channels.
