[Sport] West Ham players forced to defend friends and family from angry AZ fans after reaching Europa Conference League final

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Police and stewards then arrived on the scene to prevent further confrontation and calm was restored 10 minutes later.

Dutch police issued a statement which read: "So far, no arrests have been made. Our aim was to disperse the crowd and restore order as quickly as possible, in which we succeeded.

"The police will investigate footage of the incidents and try to identify supporters. Arrests may follow from this.

"Together with AZ, the municipality of Alkmaar and the public prosecution service we will evaluate last night's incidents, which we regret having happened. This kind of behaviour has no place in football."

Speaking to BT Sport after the game, manager David Moyes said: "We'll need to wait for the dust to settle to see what it is but the biggest problem is that is the area where the players have all their families in, friends and family.

"That is where the problem came and a lot of players were getting angry because they couldn't get to see if they were okay. But look, I don't know. We'll have to wait and ask the officials what really happened."

Match-winner Fornals told Sky Sports News he did not see much of the violence as he tried to keep his team-mates inside away from the trouble but is worried about the welfare of their friends and families.

"I didn't see a lot because I don't have anyone here watching me [on Thursday]," he told Sky Sports News. "I hadn't anyone to watch in that area and when the referee whistled at the end I threw myself to the floor and cried like a kid.

"After that, I went inside and tried to keep the guys in because we don't need that as players. I am really concerned about the families of my team-mates, hopefully everyone is OK and the police can do their job and realise who did it.

"I don't think anyone wants to see their family being kicked. It's not great when you are in that beautiful moment and people who isn't in the same moment are trying to use violence against you.

"We can't do anything else just try to help the police to realise who did it and pray for the family of my people being good."

UEFA will wait for the reports from the match officials and delegates before deciding next steps.

Explained: How the violence unfolded
Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill was at the match on Thursday night:

"Very different sense from yesterday evening. It's very calm and very tranquil here, about 15 miles away from AZ Alkmaar. There were very different scenes last night and it all started with Pablo Fornals' goal which secured a place in the final for West Ham.

"The bench, the coaches and David Moyes were so delighted that they celebrated on the pitch for two or three minutes before the game resumed. And joining those celebrations, of course, because it was so emotional, were the friends and families of the West Ham contingent that were sitting just behind the dugouts.

"The ultras - the hardcore AZ fans - that were behind the goal off to the right saw those celebrations and realised there were West Ham fans in the stadium quite near to them and started to make their way around to that area. There was virtually no stewarding to stop them and there was no riot police or any other kind of police.

"They managed to get to that section and started attacking people in that section. I saw Lucas Paqueta, Said Benrahma, Flynn Downes all jump over from the pitch into the section of the stadium where the friends and families were. They were held back by the stewards and there was a little bit of argy-bargy.

"Playing a captain's role was Declan Rice, who was trying to hold back some of the players, particularly Downes. Aaron Cresswell and Jarrod Bowen were involved in that calming influence as well. Eventually, after quite some time, the riot police did move in. I was surprised about how long it took for them to do so."