Clashes erupted in the Netherlands this Thursday evening after AZ Alkmaar lost (0-1) at home to English side West Ham in the Europa League semi-final second leg. AZ’s fans, evicted after that second defeat, poured into the main stand of the AFAS stadium in the northwest of the Netherlands after the final whistle, before celebrating their win with West Ham fans, Dutch news agency ANP reported.
Several players from both teams, including West Ham captain Declan Rice, were caught up in the fan brawl. “The fans sat behind the AZ goal and went through a gate to access the main stand, after which they attacked West Ham supporters celebrating the qualification of former Parisians Alphonse Areola and Thilo Gerrer. From there, fists flew,” the agency added.
Pictures posted on Twitter apparently show a group of AZ’s supporters breaking through a barrier before clashing with fans of the English club. Other footage shows West Ham players jumping over the boards to intervene in the fight as they wave frantically. In another scene, several police officers chased away AZ supporters in riot gear before restoring order to the stadium.
WHU coach David Moyes, 85, whose father was on the field, said after the match that his players were involved because they wanted to protect their friends and family: “My parents and my friends were in the stands. It was only then that I saw what happened.” They tried to protect.
Ten minutes later peace was restored with the intervention of the police. Henceforth, 4th in the Dutch championship is at stake. Football-related incidents in the Netherlands have become increasingly violent, which has worried the country’s officials and sports authorities.
A Premier League match between FC Groningen and Ajax Amsterdam was interrupted by a referee on Sunday after a Groningen fan rushed onto the pitch with a banner and smoke bombs were thrown onto the pitch. Last month, Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen was injured in the head by a lighter thrown from the stands by a Feyenoord Rotterdam fan.
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