Europa Conference League

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      West Ham will be serenaded by CHESNEY HAWKES ahead of their Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina in Prague

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      WEST HAM’S bid for European glory has been boosted by the Special One and Only.In the build-up to Wednesday’s Europa Conference League final with Fiorentina, Hammers fans will be serenaded by Chesney Hawkes in Prague.
      West Ham reached the Europa Conference League final after beating AZ AlkmaarCredit: Alamy
      Chesney Hawkes will serenade West Ham fans ahead of the finalCredit: Dan Charity
      It comes just six months after he emerged as England’s unlikely mascot at the Qatar World Cup.
      West Ham fan Chesney, 51, gave a rousing half-time performance of his 1991 hit ‘One And Only’ in Doha during the 3-0 victory over Wales.
      Hammers skipper and England midfielder Declan Rice said that he hoped to “get him singing at every half-time”.
      The Sun flew Hawkes back for their 3-0 quarter-final win over Senegal thanks to a 3,400-mile, 23-hour dash from Skegness.
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      Hawkes will be performing at the West Ham ‘Fan Meeting Point’ in Prague’s Letna Park – overlooking the Vltava River – on June 7.
      DJ Tony Perry – a regular at the London Stadium during the club’s recent European runs – will also perform.
      West Ham’s clash with Italian outfit Fiorentina – their first Euro final for 47 years – will be hosted by the home of Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena, with a capacity of just 19,370.
      Each club has an allocation of just under 5,000 tickets each, but more than 25,000 ticketless fans from both sides are expected to make the trip to Prague.
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      The Hammers finished the Premier League season with a 2-1 defeat to relegated Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
      However, the positives from the game for Moyes’ side were the notable lack of injuries and semi-final hero Pablo Fornals getting back on the scoresheet.
      After the clash with the Foxes, the squad flew out to southern Portugal for a three-day hot-weather training camp in preparation for the final.
      Fiorentina are yet to finish their domestic season, although they did suffer heartbreak as they lost in the Coppa Italia final to Inter Milan 2-1 on May 24. More

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      West Ham vs Fiorentina – Europa Conference League Final: Hammers eye European trophy in Prague – stream, TV, team news

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      WEST HAM are eyeing up their first European trophy in 58 years as they take on Italian side Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.David Moyes’ side overcame Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in a dramatic two-legged semi-final.
      Pablo Fornals celebrates after scoring the winner in West Ham’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ AlkmaarCredit: GETTY
      Declan Rice celebrates after reaching the Europa Conference League final.Credit: GETTY
      The Irons will face a Fiorentina side that got past Basel to progress to the final in Prague.
      West Ham haven’t tasted continental success since they claimed the Cup Winners’ Cup at Wembley in 1965.
      The Hammers will be hoping that their lengthy period without a European trophy will end this year, especially after the disappointment of crashing out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage last season.
      When is the Europa Conference League final: West Ham vs Fiorentina?

      West Ham vs Fiorentina will take place on Wednesday, June 7.
      Kick off will be at 8pm BST.
      The Eden Arena in Prague will play host.

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      What channel is the Europa Conference League final: West Ham vs Fiorentina on and can it be live streamed?

      West Ham vs Fiorentina will be broadcast live on BT Sport 1.
      BT Sport customers can live stream all the action via the BT Sport app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the action.

      Team news
      David Moyes has ruled out forward Gianluca Scamacca for West Ham’s Europa Conference League final due to injury.
      Aside from the Italian, the Hammers go to Prague with a fully fit squad.
      For Fiorentina, they will be without long-term absentee Salvatore Sirigu as he continues to recover from a serious tendon injury.
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      Vincenzo Italiano will be hoping his side come through their final Serie A game of the season against Sassuolo unscathed.
      Odds
      Match result:

      West Ham – 31/20
      Draw – 21/10
      Fiorentina – 17/10

      To lift the trophy:

      West Ham – 8/11
      Fiorentina – 1/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      Jacob Ramsey savaged by own team-mate after saying ‘it’s only Conference League’ to giddy Aston Villa fans

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      JACOB RAMSEY was savaged by one of his own Aston Villa team-mates.That’s after saying “it’s only Conference League” to giddy fans after a final day win against Brighton.
      Jacob Ramsey was told off by an Aston Villa pal after commenting on the Europa Conference LeagueCredit: Getty
      Ramsey made his remark as giddy Villa fans cheered their side on to European footballCredit: INSTAGRAM/DGOFICIAL
      Villa wrapped up an impressive season with a 2-1 victory over the high-flying Seagulls.
      Unai Emery’s latest win saw his Midlands side secure a seventh-place finish ahead of Tottenham.
      And it also sealed qualification to next term’s Europa Conference League – the continent’s third-tier competition.
      Fans attempted to boost their team’s hopes before kick-off by laying on a rousing welcome at Villa Park.
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      Supporters sang and chanted around the stadium, with many declaring in unison: “We’re all going on a European tour.”
      But young superstar Ramsey, who signed a five-year contract last year, appeared to be unimpressed with the reception.
      As video footage from inside Villa’s team bus captured the moment on camera, Ramsey was heard saying: “The f**k? It’s only Conference.”
      However, this did not go down well with a teammate, who gave the prodigy an immediate slap-down.
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      Ramsey’s pal snapped: “Shut up man, have some respect bro. Are you mad? We’ve got that on record as well.”
      Midfielder Ramsey has been at Villa since 2007, working his way up through their academy to become a mainstay in Emery’s side.
      He scored six goals in 38 games this season, taking his overall record to 12 goals in 101 outings.
      Ramsey was recently named Villa’s Young Player of the Year for the second time in a row.
      And he will be hoping to progress even further under Emery next term. More

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      Police arrest seven AZ Alkmaar fans as 26 men turn themselves in after attacks on West Ham players and staff

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      SEVEN AZ ALKMAAR fans have been detained by cops following a police appeal after last week’s disgusting attack on West Ham supporters.The Dutch supporters reacted angrily to the Hammers’ 1-0 win in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
      Seven AZ Alkmaar fans have been detained by police after the attack on West Ham supportersCredit: Getty
      The result meant David Moyes’ side progressed to the final 3-1 on aggregate and will now meet Fiorentina.
      Pablo Fornals’ 94th minute strike sealed the victory, sparking AZ Alkmaar hooligans to attack a group of travelling friends and family of the Hammers’ players and coaching staff sat behind the dugout.
      We reported how several West Ham players, including sporting director Mark Noble, rushed to help protect them from the thugs – who were dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.
      Moyes also revealed how his elderly father was caught up in the mayhem.
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      Then, footage shot by a witness in the stadium showed how one brave fan stepped in to defend those behind him in the terrifying scenes.
      Dutch authorities used TV show Opsporing Verzocht to air CCTV images of the suspects involved in the incident in an appeal to find the culprits.
      That led to a total of 26 men handing themselves in to cops, with seven of them being detained, but police say a further ten suspects are still being sought.
      A spokesperson said: “There were people who we were not initially looking for, but who were afraid that they were in one of the photos.
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      “It is therefore not the case that they are automatically all suspected of open violence.”
      Alkmaar are set to face a hefty Uefa punishment which could include a fine and partial or even full stadium closure after being sanctioned twice in the past 15 months for poor fan behaviour.
      Uefa are still deciding whether or not to launch a separate investigation into the incident, although no charges are likely to be announced until after the final in Prague next month.
      But Alkmaar fans were banned from Sunday’s 3-0 win at NEC Nijmegen.
      Meanwhile, hero West Ham fan Chis Knoll says he “nearly cried” when the club offered him a ticket for the final after fighting off Alkmaar thugs.
      The 58-year-old stood up to the yobs and fought dozens of them at the same time as he defended the team’s loved ones.
      His defiance was caught on camera and he quickly reached celebrity status among the West Ham faithful, who now dub him the “Angel of Alkmaar”.
      Knollsy received a standing ovation from the home crowd on Sunday before West Ham’s final game of the season at London Stadium against Leeds.
      And he also said it took him over an hour to leave the stadium as fellow fans expressed their gratitude for his bravery in the Netherlands.
      A total of 26 men have handed themselves in to cops after a police appeal
      A West Ham fan bravely fought off hordes of Dutch fansCredit: Twitter
      Chris ‘Knollsy’ Knoll has insisted he is no hero despite his actionsCredit: Enterprise More

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      Hero West Ham fan ‘Knollsy’ fights back tears after he is given ticket for Europa Conference League final

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      WEST HAM fan Chis Knoll “nearly cried” when the club offered him a ticket for the Europa Conference League Final after fighting off thugs at AZ Alkmaar.Knoll, who is better known as Knollsy, was at the stands in the semi-finals when the Hammers beat AZ 1-0 and confirmed their place in the final against Fiorentina on June 7.
      West Ham fan Chris Knoll fought off football hooligans at AZ AlkmaarCredit: Getty
      Knollsy was rewarded by West Ham with a ticket for the Europa Conference League FinalCredit: Getty
      Football hooligans attacked the away end where relatives and friends of the players as well as coaching staff were seated after the full-time whistle.
      However, the 58-year-old stood up to the yobs and fought dozens of them at the same time as he defended the team’s loved ones.
      Knollsy’s defiance was caught on camera and he quickly reached celebrity status among the West Ham faithful, who now dub him the “Angel of Alkmaar”.
      That experience didn’t scare Knoll off as he was desperate to find a ticket for the final in Prague.
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      And a club official he met before the AZ game called him up and gave him one for free to thank him for protecting the team’s families.
      Dad-of-four Knollsy told The Mail: “I am at work and when I got the call today, I nearly cried. I am, so pleased, so happy. I am made up.”
      He added: “She [club official] said she was sitting two rows behind me and saw what happened. She said I had been very courageous and that I deserved a ticket.
      “It’s ironic that she was the one who phoned me today. I remember joking with her earlier about whether she could get me a ticket if we got to the final.
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      “I know how difficult it is to get a ticket. I am so happy at this.”
      Knollsy received a standing ovation from the home crowd on Sunday before West Ham’s final game of the season at London Stadium against Leeds.
      Knoll revealed it took him over an hour to leave the stadium as fellow fans expressed their gratitude for his bravery in the Netherlands.
      Knollsy said: “What a reception, a standing ovation, my own song and I never bought a single beer.
      “It took me the best part of an hour to walk half way around the stadium at the end of the game on Sunday.
      “I was made to feel like the people’s champion. I noticed the amount of women thanking me for looking after their families. I’m on the crest of a wave at the moment’. More

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      West Ham fans denied chance to watch Europa Conference League final at London Stadium… thanks to BASEBALL

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      WEST HAM’S plans to screen the Europa Conference League final at the London Stadium have been scuppered by Major League Baseball.The Hammers will feature in their first major Euro final for 47 years when they take on Fiorentina in Prague on June 7.
      West Ham won’t be able to screen the Conference League final at London StadiumCredit: Alamy
      London Stadium will be transformed to host an MLB gameCredit: Reuters
      It is customary for clubs to put on a mass showing of a final at their home ground for those not able to make the trip.
      However, this will now not be possible with the London Stadium being transformed ahead of an MLB double-header between the Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals.
      As an alternative, West Ham have staff on the ground in the Czech Republic this week in an attempt to organise a fan park for ticketless supporters.
      The Irons’ allocation in the 19,370-capacity Eden Arena is just 5,780 – with over double that number expected to fly out to Prague.
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      East London has played host to baseball since 2019. The last few years have seen fixtures cancelled due to Covid-19, but the sport will continue to feature in the UK until at least 2026.
      West Ham’s power over these events is complicated owing to the fact they do not own the London Stadium outright, instead paying an annual rental fee to the London Legacy Development Corporation since their switch from Upton Park in 2016.
      Meanwhile, over 10,000 police officers from all over the Czech Republic are being recruited to monitor the final – with 25,000 ticketless fans expected to descend on Prague.
      Uefa have called an emergency meeting in the host city this Friday involving Britain’s National Police Chief’s Council, Scotland Yard, Italian and Prague Police.
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      This comes after AZ Alkmaar yobs attacked West Ham supporters in the stands in Holland just after the final whistle of their semi-final second leg.
      Players got involved in the bust-up with the ultras to defend their families sitting in the area that was targeted. More

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      Declan Rice and three other West Ham stars could be punished by Uefa after protecting families from AZ thugs

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      WEST HAM players face potential punishment by UEFA after jumping to the stands to protect their families at AZ Alkmaar.The Hammers defeated Alkmaar 1-0 in the Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday to seal a place in the final where they will face Fiorentina on June 7 in Prague.
      West Ham players are facing a potential UEFA ban after the ugly scenes at AZ AlkmaarCredit: Getty
      West Ham players tried to climb to the stands to protect their familiesCredit: Getty
      W3est Ham players’ relatives, friends and guests were attack by AZ Alkmaar thugsCredit: Getty
      However, the East Londoners’ celebrations didn’t last long as a number of AZ thugs attacked the visitors’ section, which included the players and coaching staff’s family members.
      Captain Declan Rice, Said Benrahma, Flynn Downes and Michail Antonio all tried to intervene once the horrific scenes unfolded and looked set to jump to the stands.
      According to The Telegraph, they could all face a UEFA ban unless they could convince a commission these were exceptional circumstances.
      The football governing body may allow the process to run past next month’s final.
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      That means Rice, Benrahma, Downes and Antonio are “highly unlikely” to be barred from the crucial clash with Fiorentina.
      However, UEFA officials will also feel that they have to follow the process.
      There is a strong feeling West Ham players were left with no other choice but to intervene when AZ yobs swarmed their relatives, friends and other guests.
      But the post-match events are likely to be included in the official report, with the possibility of a charge under article 15 regarding misconduct of players and officials.
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      Alkmaar will also be charged for the behaviour of their supporters after the match.
      The Eredivisie outfit face a stadium ban over the chaos as the club was responsible for security as the hosts.
      West Ham’s first-team coach Kevin Nolan urged UEFA to issue some tough punishments.
      Nolan said: “I am disgusted that they would come and go for family, which is what they did”. More

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      Hero West Ham fan ‘Knollsy’ given standing ovation as he takes his seat for Leeds clash after fighting off AZ mob

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      WEST HAM fan “Knollsy” was given a standing ovation from the Hammers faithful after his heroics during the crowd trouble at AZ Alkmaar.Dutch ultras attempted to storm the away end and attack West Ham supporters following David Moyes’ side’s triumph in their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday.

      Knollsy fought off the AZ Alkmaar thugs after the game on ThursdayCredit: Twitter / @fumanchu6666

      But Knollsy, real name Chris Knoll, could be seen stopping the AZ thugs getting to the travelling fans as he fought them off at the top of the stairs.
      He made his triumphant return to the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon for West Ham’s clash with Leeds.
      And he was given a warm reception by his fellow Irons supporters as they stood to applaud him as he made his way to his seat ahead of the game.
      One West Ham fan also shared a picture with “Knollsy” on the tube on the way to the game.
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      West Ham fan Freddie Bonfanti was in the crowd on Thursday night and took to social media to post: “Knollsy the legend. Stopped the home fans from getting to the players’ families.
      “We were stormed by AZ’s supporters. Knollsy has recently had a hip replacement and simply could not run.
      “He is also a proud man and he was genuinely concerned about the players’ partners and ex-West Ham players sitting all around us.
      “He did what he had to do. I am proud to call him a mate and glad he stopped what could have been a much worse incident.
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      “We were sitting behind [West Ham defender] Thilo Kehrer’s girlfriend. Knollsy was worried about her and walked to the top of the stairwell, fending off the storming Alkmaar fans.
      “He is a lovely bloke and did what he felt was right at the time. He stopped those fans.”
      London-born Alkmaar boss Pascal Jansen admitted he was “ashamed” of the ugly scenes, while Moyes also revealed how his elderly father was caught up in the mayhem.
      The West Ham boss said: “I can’t explain what happened and why it happened. The players were involved because it was the family section. That was probably the reason for the reaction.
      “I don’t want that in any way to blight the night because the West Ham fans weren’t looking for trouble. Hopefully they’ll look into it.
      “My family were there and I had friends in that section. You’re hoping they would try and get themselves away from it. I didn’t recognise it because I was too happy.
      “Security wanted to take me inside but I had to make sure my players weren’t involved.”
      Lucas Paqueta, Aaron Cresswell, and Flynn Downes were all involved in the chaos too and were held back by security and stewards.
      Director of football Mark Noble tried in vain to restrain Michail Antonio, who leapt over advertising hoardings to defend the fans and families.
      Members of the Irons’ coaching staff – including Kevin Nolan – were seen berating stewards for their failure to intervene.
      While captain Declan Rice and forward Jarrod Bowen were also seen confronting members of the crowd, with the former appearing to throw an object in their direction.

      Meanwhile, West Ham’s match with Leeds comes as the club celebrate reaching the Europa Conference League final.
      They will face Fiorentina on June 7 as they bid to end their 43-year wait for a trophy. More