West Ham stars "worried about families" after clash with hooligans in Europe
West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola has admitted he and his team-mates were worried for their families in the crowd after players and fans clashed in Alkmaar.
The Hammers won 1-0 in the Netherlands to book their place in the Europa Conference League final, with Pablo Fornals' late effort sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory. However, things boiled over after the final whistle as players made their way over to the crowd to protect friends and family.
Managers of both sides have spoken out about the scenes, with AZ Alkmaar boss Pascal Jansen saying he was "ashamed" of the small number of home supporters who entered the West Ham section. France international Areola, who had family members watching in the Netherlands, has summed up the emotions of the players at the time.
“I had family although they were a bit far from the incident, but we were worried about our families," Areola said after the game. "Security is the most important thing at a stadium, especially for an event like this.
“Security was a bit too open for the opposition fans but in the end we managed to stop them. When family or fans come to a stadium you don’t want to see things like that. We want them to enjoy the event.”
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Match-winner Fornals didn't have family in attendance, but also voiced his concerns. "Hopefully everyone is okay and the police can do their jobs and just realise who did it," the Spaniard said. "No one wants to see their family being kicked."
Were you involved in the incident on Thursday night? And what needs to be done to prevent this in the future? Have your say in the comments section
Fans clashed after the final whistle in Alkmaar (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)West Ham travelled to the Netherlands knowing a draw would be enough to progress to the final. However, with AZ having gone 25 unbeaten at home in Europe, the task wasn't straightforward.
Moyes' team withstood pressure from the hosts and had chances to put the game out of sight, with Lucas Paqueta hitting the post and Nayef Aguerd missing the target from close range. Eventually, though, substitute Fornals settled nerves after breaking free to score in time added on.
Despite struggling towards the foot of the Premier League table, the Hammers have thrived in Europe. They won all six of their group games, before five wins and a draw across six knockout legs saw them through to June's final in Prague.
The London outfit will face Italian side Fiorentina as they aim to win a European title for the first time this century. Vincenzo Italiano's Viola needed extra-time to get past Basel in their semi final, with Czech international Antonin Barak delivering a late winner as penalties loomed.
West Ham have all but ensured their Premier League safety, but still have a big role to play in the relegation battle before their European final, The Hammers host Leeds on Sunday, before travelling to Leicester on the final day of the season.
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