AZ Alkmaar have been fined 80,000 euros (£68,670) by UEFA for the behaviour of their fans at their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg match against West Ham in May.
During that game at the AFAS Stadion in the Netherlands, AZ fans attacked an area in which West Ham players’ friends and family were seated. Wets Ham players intervened to protect their family members.
The Dutch club gave stadium bans to 43 fans, and several arrests were made after an appeal was made on television.
AZ, who are in the Europa Conference League again this season, have been ordered to play one Uefa match behind closed doors, although that sanction has been suspended for two years.
The UEFA fine has been broken down as £6,115 for throwing of objects, £12,870 for lighting fireworks, £6,867 for blocking public passageways and £42,918 for crowd disturbances and failure to ensure that spectators cannot move from one sector to another.
There was no update on sanctions against West Ham or their players so we have to assume that no action will now be taken in that regard.
Family always comes before all else and whoever the judges are of this situation, probably considered what they would’ve done had it been their family feeling unsafe in the stands.
It looks like a bit or common sense has been applied! We haven’t got away with one, our players are human beings like the rest of us and they cannot be punished for that!