Anderlecht have apologized after their fans lit flares and threw seats at West Ham supporters during their 2-1 Europa League defeat at the London Stadium on Thursday.
The police had to intervene to separate the two groups of supporters and the Belgian side said the behavior of their supporters was unacceptable. An Anderlecht fan was stopped by security after running onto the pitch.
“The club will take this up with the fans because we do not tolerate this kind of behavior, at home or away,” said an Anderlecht spokesman. “We will take it up with the fans and definitely with Uefa and we strongly condemn it. We want to apologize to West Ham for this behaviour.”
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David Moyes has praised Anderlecht’s response. “It’s very good of the club to come out and say it,” said the West Ham manager. “Big credit to them. I think everyone’s focus goes off when people are in trouble in some way. It’s the players’ job to push on and I thought they did.
“We’re in a different society now, a different world and it’s not what any football club wants to be associated with.”