West Ham followers clashed with riot police in Prague after setting off flares as they celebrated successful the Europa Convention League on Wednesday night time.
Followers poured into the streets of the Czech capital following the Hammers’ victory over Fiorentina, with many already within the metropolis centre after hundreds of supporters travelled from the UK with out tickets.
However a scuffle broke out after law enforcement officials tried to confiscate a lit flare as followers gathered within the Outdated City space of town.
Riot police stormed a bunch after they lit a second flare, with followers responding by pelting the officers with bottles and missiles.
Earlier within the day Czech police stated they’d detained a minimum of 16 Italian followers after they attacked West Ham supporters exterior a bar, with movies shared on social media displaying chairs and fireworks being thrown.
Celebrations have been initially good-natured after the match, with revellers hugging and kissing one another and dancing on tables in bars.
Chants of “2-1 to the cockney boys” and “Irons” additionally broke out because the Londoners welcomed the membership’s first trophy in additional than 40 years.
The ultimate came about on the Fortuna Area, which has a capability of round 19,300, with West Ham receiving an official ticket allocation of 5,000, though many extra travelled from the UK to be within the metropolis throughout the sport.
Supporters watched in bars across the metropolis, together with a bunch who went wild at McCarthy’s Pub within the Outdated City space from the second Jarrod Bowen gave the workforce the lead within the last minute of the second half.
West Ham fan Aaron, 18, stated it felt “unreal” to win.
“(I’ve) by no means felt prefer it in my life,” he stated.
He stated his plan for the remainder of the night time was to “stumble again to the lodge”.
“How we get there I don’t care,” he added.
It got here hours after West Ham followers have been attacked by Italian supporters within the metropolis centre, prompting police to detain 16 folks.
Czech police stated three folks have been injured throughout the incident, with one police officer being attacked.
One witness stated followers of the Italian facet have been armed with “chains and belt buckles”.
There was additionally controversy throughout the match as Cristiano Biraghi of Fiorentina was seen bleeding from the again of the top after he appeared to have been hit by an object thrown from the West Ham stand.
Shortly earlier than the tip of the match, the English membership put out an announcement condemning the behaviour of a “small variety of people”, including: “These actions don’t have any place in soccer, and don’t in any method signify the values of our soccer membership and the overwhelming majority of our supporters, who’ve behaved impeccably in Prague this week and all through our final two seasons in European competitors.”
The membership stated it might work with police to assessment the incident and take motion in opposition to offenders, together with implementing lifetime bans.
