- West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen staff were involved in a heated touchline row
- Moments later, the players were at it on the pitch – squabbling in a mass brawl
- Exhausted Man City?! We’re all tired, but it’s dangerous to spread that message. Big games are what it’s all about: Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
West Ham’s assistant manager Billy McKinlay was sent off after furiously clashing with Bayer Leverkusen coaching staff during Thursday’s Europa League clash at the London Stadium.
Moments after referee Jose María Sanchez brandished the red card to McKinlay, a mass brawl erupted between the West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen players on the pitch, as Michail Antonio tried to wrestle the ball off Odilon Kossounou.
Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and Edson Alvarez were among those to leap to the defence of Antonio after Leverkusen captain Jonathan Tah confronted him in the centre of the melee.
Soon, most players from both sides lunged into the brawl, with Tah and Antonio picking up bookings following the incident.
It is not yet known what exactly sparked the touchline row between both sets of coaches, but McKinlay appeared furious as he gestured towards a Leverkusen staff member.
West Ham ‘s assistant manager Billy McKinlay (left) was sent off after furiously clashing with Bayer Leverkusen coaching staff during Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg
Referee Jose María Sanchez brandishes the red card after the staff fracas on the touchline
West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen’s players brawled on the pitch shortly after McKinlay’s red
The Leverkusen coach was also sent to the stands by the referee shortly after David Moyes’ assistant was given his marching orders.
The German side, who celebrated winning the Bundesliga title after 11 years of Bayern Munich dominance at the weekend, headed into the second leg at the London Stadium with a 2-0 advantage.
Antonio swiftly cut West Ham’s deficit in half in the 13th minute with a well-taken goal, raising tensions between the two sides as both fought hard to book a place in the Europa League semi-finals.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk