12/13 Chelsea FC - SL Benfica in Amsterdam Chelsea hooligans charge Benfica fans

C3 Final Chelsea FC - SL Benfica in Amsterdam Chelsea hooligans attack Benfica fans 15/05/2013
Three police officers were injured by flying glass and one was taken to hospital for treatment as trouble erupted before the game

Police arrested 24 people last night as violence broke out before Chelsea's Europa League final win in Amsterdam.

Three police officers were injured by flying glass and one was taken to hospital for treatment as trouble erupted before the game.

Riot cops moved in as rival groups of Chelsea and Benfica fans clashed in a city back street.

One Dutch officer suffered a head wound as missiles were thrown.

Eyewitnesses told how beer bottles and glasses flew threw the air in the ugly stand-off in Warmoesstraat which runs off the city's main Dam Square.

An Amsterdam police spokesman said that a total of 10 Chelsea fans were arrested for violent disorder.

Fans and passers-by were 'crushed' into the narrow thoroughfare lined with bars.

One shopkeeper said: "It is not more than ten feet wide and some of the fans were throwing missiles at each other.

"They had been drinking in the run-up to the game, and were singing songs and having a good time when the atmosphere changed and some started pushing.

"It resulted in violence and missiles being thrown."

Another eyewitness said: "You could feel the tension building up for ages before it all went off.

"Chelsea and Benfica fans were exchanging banter at first and it seemed good natured but it got more and more tense until they started throwing missiles at each other.

"More Chelsea fans came in from a side street and charged and it was very scary. One Benfica fan looked as though he had a head wound and a Chelsea fan punched him as he ran forward,

"Police on horseback and riot cops moved in very quickly and I saw plain-clothed officers leading several English fans away. I think the Portuguese misjudged the English - they weren't expecting it to get that nasty."

Of the 24 arrests, 14 were of different nationalities detained for being drunk, disorderly or ticket touting.
More than 60 arrested in Amsterdam on day of Europa League final

Netherlands police have confirmed that a number of fans were detained for vandalism, illegal ticket touting and inebriation, but insisted the atmosphere was generally positive

More than 60 football fans were arrested in Amsterdam on the day of the Europa League final between Benfica and Chelsea, though police added the atmosphere was generally good between supporters.

Netherlands police confirmed that arrests were made for a variety of offences, but there were no large-scale clashes between fans of teams competing in the final. Offences such as vandalism, ticket touting and being drunk and disorderly resulted in the majority of arrests.

Elsewhere, around 40 supporters of Ajax and Anderlecht had tried to challenge Chelsea fans before police intervened. The Ajax fans were forced to leave the city centre, while the Belgian supporters were dropped outside of the city.

Three police offers were injured due to flying glass, with one taken to hospital for treatment, and the suspect has been arrested.

Before the match, Chelsea and Benfica fans were together at the Dam, the Rembrandtplein, the Leidseplein and the red light district, with supporters from both clubs singing songs at each other.

There were confrontations between the supporters, but police managed to contain them and stated that the atmosphere of the game was good.