Express & Star

West Brom's pre-season game with Villareal being moved because of reggae festival

Albion’s pre-season game in Benidorm next week is being moved because it clashes with a reggae festival.

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It will be Slaven Bilic's first game in charge of Albion.

Last month, the Baggies told supporters their match with Villareal on Saturday, July 13, was due to be played at the Estadio Municipal Guillermo in the centre of Benidorm.

An estimated 400 supporters have subsequently booked flights and hotels, but the Reggaeton Beach Festival is taking place at the same venue that day.

The Baggies are now exploring alternative venues which will have as little impact on supporters as possible, and have urged fans not to change their travel arrangements.

Villareal claimed today that the match would be taking place 45 minutes up the coast at the Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort, where the La Liga side will be training.

However, Albion are looking into holding the friendly much closer to where their supporters will be based.

The Baggies are contemplating holding the fixture at their own hotel on the outskirts of Benidorm, five kilometres away, and could erect a temporary structure there to house the fans.

The Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort is a potential new venue.

Supporters were planning to meet up in a pub in Benidorm before walking to the stadium in town.

There is a possibility that coach travel could be laid on to help ferry fans to and from any game if required.

The pre-season friendly has been organised by tour providers Complete Sports Solutions, rather than Albion or Villareal.

But supporters are frustrated the club released the information officially on their website.

Dean Walton, who runs the Baggies Abroad Travel Service supporters group, said: “We’ve made arrangements in Benidorm at The Pig N Whistle for all fans to meet up and were planning to walk to the stadium.

“It’s a shame that at such late notice there could be a possible change of venue.

“We hope the club or whoever is responsible sorts out transport to get all the fans to and from the pub in Benidorm.”

The Express & Star has attempted to contact CSS but they were unavailable for comment.