Scary scenes at last night’s UECL semifinal match, in which West Ham United defeated AZ Alkmaar and moved on to the final in June. AZ Alkmaar supporters AZ supporters busted through a dividing fence, where the West Ham friends and family were seated in the AZ Stadium.
The AZ ultras attacked the Hammers supporters, and a brawl ensued. West Ham players, including star man Declan Rice, attempted to intervene.
West Ham United vs Leeds United FYIs
Kickoff: Sun May 21, 1:30pm GMT, London Stadium, UK
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: West Ham 40% Draw 27% Leeds United 23%
PL Form: West Ham LWLLL Leeds United DLLDL
PL Standing: West Ham 15th, 37 pts Leeds United 18th, 31 pts
Stadium security and police had to intervene, in order to quell the unrest.
Said Hammers boss David Moyes after the match: “We’ll need to wait for the dust to settle to see what it is but the biggest problem is that is the area where the players have all their families in, friends and family.
“That is where the problem came and a lot of players were getting angry because they couldn’t get to see if they were OK. But look, I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and ask the officials what really happened.”
The AZ manager, Pascal Jansen, condemned the violence, saying: “It’s annoying, it doesn’t belong in our stadium. Preferably in no stadium,” AZ coach Pascal Jansen said. “I feel shame. You have to control your emotions, even on a night with a defeat.”
More on this is sure to come out later, but for now, it’s a very quick turnaround to the next match- a home league fixture against Leeds United. With the Irons having already secured safety, they have a lot less to play for there than Leeds United does. The northwest England club is still fighting to try and avoid the drop.
West Ham Starting XI Prediction vs Leeds United
Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Emerson; Downes, Rice; Fornals, Lanzini, Cornet; Ings
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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