West Ham fans were targeted by Eintracht Frankfurt ultras
West Ham fans violently clashed with Eintracht Frankfurt supporters on Wednesday night, with the two teams in Seville for Europa League games.
Bundesliga side Frankfurt secured a 2-1 victory over Real Betis on Wednesday, and West Ham fans were already in Spain ahead of the Hammers’ clash with Sevilla on Thursday.
Betis’ match with Frankfurt had been brought forward a day by UEFA in an attempt to reduce crowd trouble in the city.
However, footage emerged on social media on Wednesday which showed Frankfurt and West Ham fans clashing in the city centre.
The video shows Frankfurt ultras approaching an Irish bar housing several West Ham fans in a co-ordinated confrontation, with bottles thrown and some fans even holding what appear to be giant sticks.
Other video shows tables and chairs being launched at supporters.
While it is unclear what sparked the trouble between the two sets of fans, Spanish police quickly intervened as the violence began to escalate.
As reported by the Telegraph, eye witnesses claim that ‘rubber bullets’ were used in an attempt to prevent further clashes between the West Ham fans and Eintracht Frankfurt supporters.
Batalla campal en el centro de Sevilla entre ultras del West Ham y del Eintracht. pic.twitter.com/CV59g4GDhg
— Leandro Iglesias (@leandrosexta) March 9, 2022
David Moyes’ side arrived in Seville on Wednesday in preparation for their Europa League Round of 16 tie, with the 58-year-old insisting that he expects his side to win against Sevilla, who currently sit second in LaLiga.
“I expect my players to win – if we play Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, I expect them to win,” Moyes said.
“I’m really disappointed when we don’t.
“I want this to be the new West Ham. The new West Ham that qualifies for Europe. The new West Ham that fills a stadium because the football is good and we have young, exciting players.
“This time last year I felt Europe was a possibility. Prior to that, we were about avoiding relegation – that was the job.
“To think of where we have come in one year, from mid-table to challenging for Europe, now we’re talking in terms of Champions League football. We have moved a big amount in a short space of time.”
The Hammers finished top of Group H, having won four, drawn one and lost one of their six group stage matches.
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