Frankfurt police arrested around thirty Eintracht and West Ham United fans on Thursday on the sidelines of scuffles which left at least two injured a few hours before the Europa League semi-final return (9:00 p.m.).
Two supporters of the London club were picked up unconscious and hospitalized, police said in a statement. The police dispersed a group of around 800 English visitors to the station area, where “supporters of both teams were looking for a confrontation”.
Read alsoEuropa League: West Ham fans attacked before the semi-final in Frankfurt
After the German club’s 2-1 first leg victory, around 5,000 British fans, some of whom are classified as “at risk”, are expected in the European financial capital. The city police are on alert and hundreds of officials are mobilized.
On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday already, a group of West Ham fans were attacked in a bar in Frankfurt by 15 to 20 masked men wearing the colors of Eintracht. A 34-year-old Briton was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The attackers fled when the police arrived and none could be immediately arrested.
On Tuesday, two Britons were also attacked by six men identified as Eintracht fans, who were later arrested. In the first leg, two German journalists were assaulted by West Ham fans inside London’s Olympic Stadium.