Novi Pazar says delegation attacked in Poland before Conference League tie

Serbian club Novi Pazar said some members of their delegation were attacked by a group of masked men outside a restaurant the night before Thursday's second leg of their Conference League qualifier at Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.

About 15 men in balaclava masks moved towards the delegation when they were leaving a restaurant in central Bialystok, which caused them to retreat and call the police, Novi Pazar said in an Instagram post on Thursday.

The delegation were later attacked by a group of 30 people in masks when they tried to get into a vehicle, the club said in a statement.

"We would like to point out that our members were not wearing any club insignia ... Only thanks to the composure of those present and, at that moment, the professional reaction of the police officers, serious incidents were avoided," they added.

"The Novi Pazar Football Club expresses its deep concern for the safety of its members and its indignation at the slow reaction of the local police."

A police spokesperson said they had intervened during the incident but had no information about anyone being attacked.

"The police intervened in response to a request from guests from Serbia, who later returned to the hotel. We currently have no information that anyone was attacked," Tomasz Krupa, a press officer in the provincial police, wrote in an email.

"We take every report we receive very seriously. We are currently establishing all the circumstances."

Novi Pazar said they would not attend a pre-match joint lunch, planned for Thursday according to UEFA protocol, due to the incident the previous night.

UEFA and Jagiellonia were not immediately available for comment.

Novi Pazar, who lost the home leg 2-1 last week, have travelled to Poland with a large