A West Ham supporter has reportedly been left with ‘life-threatening injuries’ ahead of the Hammers’ Europa League clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday night. The fan is said to have been hit by a road sweeper in Cologne. Thousands of West Ham supporters have travelled to Germany for the next stage of their side’s European tour, and they are set to face the high-flying Leverkusen at the Bayer Arena.
Many fans have gathered in areas around the stadium, including in Cologne. One supporter sustained ‘life-threatening injuries’ whilst near the Cologne Cathedral on Wednesday night. It is reported that the 68-year-old male may have fallen under a road sweeper on the eve of the Europa League clash and thus sustained head injuries.
The vehicle then collided with a traffic pole which has left the driver injured as well. The injured West Ham supporter was quickly taken to hospital where he has been treated and has since stabilized. A Cologne police spokesperson provided details of the incident, indicating that the 68-year-old fan crossed a street and was hit by the cleaning vehicle.
The driver, aged 29, also suffered minor injuries as the sweeper collided with a traffic light pole. It is estimated that approximately 4,000 West Ham fans have traveled to Germany for the clash with Leverkusen, despite the club only being allocated a total of 1,790 tickets in the away end. The BayerArena has a capacity of just over 30,000.
David Moyes, the West Ham manager, expressed optimism about the team’s performance, emphasizing the need for big leadership and composure from the players, given the challenge they face in the first game of a two-legged tie away from home against a formidable opponent.