Travis Barker joined Blink-182 as they resumed the European leg of their tour in Antwerp, Belgium on Friday.

Last week, the drummer, 47, had rushed back to Los Angeles to be with his pregnant wife, Kourtney Kardashian, 44, as she had undergone emergency surgery.

The musician and his rock band postponed three concerts in Glasgow, Belfast, and Dublin due to ‘an urgent family matter’.

It was revealed that the reality TV personality had experienced a pregnancy complication and undergone ‘urgent fetal surgery’ to save their unborn baby causing him to abruptly put a halt to his band’s tour to return home.

After the operation went successfully, he took to Instagram to share several posts of himself back in Europe ahead of taking the stage with the rest of his band to perform their greatest hits.

Before his show in Antwerp, he posted a video of himself walking outside the concert venue to give his drumsticks to a fan.

The ecstatic fan was seen holding up a sign that read: ‘Can I have a drumstick?’ 

After seeing the sign himself, Travis surprised the fan — who ended up crying tears of joy after the thoughtful gesture. 

At the end of the video, Travis gave him a hug before heading back inside to get ready for the show. 

He captioned the moving clip: ‘1st day of tour’. Travis had also shared various snaps as he went sightseeing around Antwerp before their show. 

Travis took along his 8.3 million followers on Instagram for a tour of various incredible churches.

He also shared a picture of a bowl of pasta he enjoyed at Italian restaurant Spritz ahead of the concert. 

Before heading to the concert venue, he also posted a mirror selfie showing off his edgy cool outfit of the day. 

In the photo posted to his Instagram Story, he donned a graphic T-shirt over a black sweatshirt and dark, distressed jeans. 

A few days earlier on Wednesday, he shared a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) and confirmed that Blink-182 would be resuming the European leg of their tour.

He wrote: ‘God is great. I flew home for a life-threatening emergency surgery for our baby that I’m so grateful went well.’

‘I want to say thank you for all the support,’ he continued. ‘Tour resumes Friday.’ 

On the same day, Kourtney praised doctors for ‘saving her baby’s life’ after being rushed to the hospital during the final trimester of pregnancy.

Kourtney — who is said to be ‘feeling better’ — took to Instagram to share a black and white snap of she and her musician husband holding hands on a hospital bed.

She captioned the image to her 224 million followers: ‘I will be forever grateful to my incredible doctors for saving our baby’s life. 

‘I am eternally grateful to my husband who rushed to my side from tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterwards, my rock. And to my mom, thank you for holding my hand through this.’

Kourtney also revealed that despite previously experiencing pregnancy complications, she still wasn’t ready for what had happened. 

The mother-of-three continued: ‘As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery. 

‘I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant.

This came after news that Kourtney is doing ‘better’ and has now returned home following a short hospital visit.

An insider told People the reality star is ‘back home now with her kids’ after she was pictured departing a Los Angeles-area hospital with her husband.  

‘She is feeling better. She is happy to have Travis back home too,’ the source added.

The following day, Kourtney, who went public with her pregnancy in June, was seen leaving the hospital with Travis and clambering into an SUV.

‘Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing.’ 

Neither Travis nor Kourtney has disclosed why they were at the hospital, but based on the appearance of her bump as she left, she did not appear to have given birth.

Kourtney was seen walking unassisted as she and her husband surfaced on Friday, piling into a gleaming black Range Rover and heading off.

The reality star, who has not publicly divulged her due date, was decked out in a silver maternity top and matching trousers.

On Friday, Blink-182 announced via Insta Stories that they would have to delay their upcoming concerts on account of Travis’ family emergency.

‘Due to an urgent family matter, Travis has had to return home to the States,’ the band revealed on social media. ‘The Glasgow, Belfast, and Dublin shows are being postponed. More information in regards to his return to Europe and rescheduled dates will be provided as soon as available.’

The Blink-182 tour in Europe was meant to commence Friday night in Glasgow, which is where Travis was when the announcement was made.

Travis then fired up his own social media and cryptically posted pictures of the prayer room at the Glasgow Airport.

Just last week, he and his pregnant wife had been spotted soaking up the sunshine together during a romantic stroll on the beach.

As Travis raced home to Kourtney, his ex-wife Shanna Moakler confirmed that the children she herself shares with him are ‘safe and sound.’

Shanna and Travis welcomed Landon, 19, and Alabama, 17, together, and Travis was also crucial in helping raise Shanna’s daughter Atiana De La Hoya, 24, whom she had with the former professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya.

Meanwhile Kourtney shares three children – Mason, 13, Penelope, 11, and Reign, eight – with her ex-fiancé Scott Disick, whom she dated on and off for nearly a decade.

Kourtney ecstatically revealed to the world in June that she is expecting a baby by Travis, whom she tied the knot with last year.

She dropped the bombshell during a Blink-182 concert, standing in the audience and holding up a sign that read: ‘TRAVIS I’M PREGNANT’ – a mischievous nod to a similar scene in the music video for the band’s song All The Small Things.

Her breathtaking news came over a year after Kourtney pulled the brakes on her IVF journey, which had subjected her to a raft of health issues including depression.

On a 2022 episode of her reality show The Kardashians, Kourtney spoke candidly about the ‘awful’ experience she was having with IVF.

She claimed in a confessional that the ‘medication that they have been giving me, they put me into menopause, literally into menopause.’

Kourtney theorized: ‘I think because I’m so clean and careful about what I put into my body, it’s just like having the complete opposite reaction and working as a contraceptive instead of helping us.’

She explained: ‘I have everything in the world to be happy about. I just feel a little bit off and not like myself. Super moody and hormonal, like I am a lunatic half the time.’

In December of that year, a few months after her wedding, she told the Wall Street Journal that she had stopped her IVF treatments 10 months earlier.

Kourtney, who tied the knot with Travis that May, shared that she ‘took a break to just focus on our wedding and getting married.’

On a subsequently aired episode of The Kardashians, she said: ‘We would love a baby more than anything but I just really believe in what God has in store for us.’

She also spilled that she had ‘seven frozen eggs from years ago before Travis’ – a step she had taken when she was nearing the age of 40.

‘When I was 38 or 39 everyone was like pushing me to do that and most of mine didn’t survive the thaw because eggs are one cell and none of them made it to an embryo,’ the eldest Kardashian sister said.

‘All the thing that came with IVF took a toll on me physically. My health is still impacted because it’s hormones. And also mentally it took a toll,’ she said.

‘So, I think just being happy is most important and being a good parent to my kids. We are just embracing that whatever is meant to be will be.’

Matthew Hudson-Smith smashes European record to reach 400m final at the World Championships just a month after leaving a Diamond League meeting in a wheelchair

• Matthew Hudson-Smith powered into Thursday’s 400m final in Budapest
• The one-lap specialist set a new European record with a time of 44.26sec
• He left last month’s Diamond League meeting in London in a wheelchair 

By Henry Clark For The Daily Mail

Updated: 18:20 EDT, 22 August 2023

An adult film star who ‘won’ the European Sex Championships has revealed images from inside the venue before her fellow competitors walked out of the ‘chaotic’ event last week, sparking a war of words between those involved.

The inaugural tournament was set to begin on June 8, with a reported 20 representatives from a dozen or so nations descending on an undisclosed location in Gothenburg, Sweden to take part in the seedy competition.

However, the six-week event to determine the continent’s most elite sex performers was plagued with issues, and it was closed down within a matter of days – sparking a battle of words between the organiser and competitors.

While the organisation behind the tournament – the Swedish Sex Federation – accused some of the participants of ‘disobeying the rules of the competition’ by drinking alcohol and ‘consuming illegal psychoactive substances’, some porn star competitors slammed it for a lack of hygiene and for not carrying out HIV checks.

Now, Croatian adult film star Marija Zadravec, aka Sweet Mery, has defended the organisers, and claimed she was declared the winner of the tournament.

In a post on Twitter, Zadravec announced she was leaving the competition, while also posting pictures from inside the house hosting the event – which has the appearance of a low-budget ‘Big Brother’ house.

In one picture, taken by a security camera, the scantily-clad participants are seen sitting on a sofa formed around a table with flags draped over the top. A desk can be seen below the camera, also covered in flag print-outs.

Zadravec is seen sitting on her down, a few feet away from three male performers, while another group are standing below a sign advertising the event. One person is seen, inexplicably, dressed in a haz-mat suit.

In another picture, Zadravec is seen posing topless for a security camera. She is standing in front of a row of five beds. Three other men are seen in the room, one of whom appears to be asleep in one of the beds.

A third photo shows more of the competitors sitting around a breakfast bar.

It is understood that the competition was pioneered by Dragan Bratic, who owns a number of strip clubs in the Jönköping area of Sweden, and who is understood to have set up the event to be live streamed over the internet to paying viewers. 

Participants in the championship were going to be assessed across 16 categories in ’bouts’ to be held over six weeks.

These included their skills in seduction and massage, their proficiency in sex acts, the appearance of their sexual organs, how many times they can orgasm, and their ‘artistry’ and ‘creativity’ in creating a seductive pose.

Bouts were reportedly set to last between 45 minutes to an hour for each category.

According to The Daily Star, female entrants were set to earn themselves £690 for each day they stayed in the venue, while men would earn £345-a-day.

The publication say the winner was promised £860,000.

However, some of the participants say there were issues from the start.

They said there was no hot water, no adequate sleeping arrangements, and that the hygiene was poor. They accused the organisers of not carrying out checks for sexually transmitted diseases, and one video appeared to show Bratic lashing out at the Ukrainian competitor when she tried to live stream their conversation.

Selva Lapiedra, Spain’s representative, described the organisation of the event as ‘chaos,’ telling Spanish publication El Plural that it descended into a ‘horror film.’ 

She also said that the website hosting the live streams was attacked by hackers.

‘Every day they attacked the website a lot , the cameras were caught , the page was not working,’ she said, adding: ‘The activities were not organised, the judges who should have been there were not … In short, there was zero organisation.’

However, speaking to Croatian daily newspaper Jutarnji list, Zadravec defended Bratic and the Swedish Sex Federation over the event.

She said that Bratic told her that based on the number of points she had accumulated during the tournament, she was the winner of the competition, and that this would soon be declared on the organisation’s website. She also said her fee was paid every day she ‘spent in the house,’ and that her travel was also paid for. 

Zadravec hit out at claims by other competitors that hot water was not available in the venue, saying that while the water heater broke down in one room, it was fixed the following day, and that hot water was available in other rooms.

The adult film star, who has more than 60,000 followers on Twitter and almost 35,000 on Instagram – and makes much of her living though OnlyFans – said the ‘project’ was a big opportunity for her and her fellow competitors.

‘This is a very big project and the organiser wanted to make all of us big, famous, world names and give us the opportunity to make a very good profit, so everyone should be grateful for that because the whole world wrote about it and everyone benefited from the advertisement from that project,’ she said.

Zadravec distanced herself from the criticism being made by other participants, and accusing them of not telling the truth about what unfolded. ‘People from the porn industry are all connected, so it is very important to tell the truth,’ she said. 

‘I am not a person who wants problems from this because we all had the opportunity to choose ourselves, so there is no need to put pressure on the organiser after everything. As for my experience, it was great and I would like it to happen again one day because something like this is not little thing,’ she told Jutarnji.

She accused the other competitors that walked out of ‘taking revenge’ on the organisers and contradicted their claims that they were not paid.

‘We agreed on everything; what the fee would be, the method of payment and other details, I received a detailed contract which I signed,’ she said.

‘Dragan asked all the competitors to take with them some prop that represents the country we are fighting for, to be at the airport already record an advertising video for each individual,’ Zadravec added.

She said she got off the plane wearing a ‘Croatian T-shirt’.

It was reported earlier this month that a British representative — OnlyFans model Barbie Sins — had pulled out of the event citing ‘health complications’.

The remaining 19 competitors hail from across the continent, including Spain, Italy, France, Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Croatia.

Lara Lee was another Brit who the Star said was set to fly out to Sweden on Monday, possibly as a replacement for Barbie Sins – but she pulled out at the last minute.

‘I learnt that people had been leaving over claims they weren’t getting paid so I decided to swerve it,’ she told the Daily Star.

‘It’s sad because it was a great idea but it sounds like it’s been so badly organised and has ended up a bit of a shambles.’

Ukraine’s entrant Talia Mint posted a video from the house before she left, saying that she and the other performers had been excited to be part of the ‘project’.

However, the 24-year-old uploaded a video to her social media which appeared to show Bratic trying to grab her phone as she left the house.

She claimed in the clip that one competitor had been allowed to enter the competition without being tested for HIV.

‘He refuses to pay me for my time and my work and now you have all the information about this project, I want to get compensation,’ she said. 

She later said in a video that the police were called, but could not enter the property as they did not have a warrant. Now, Mint claims she is taking legal action against Bratic and the The Swedish Sex Federation.

It is believed that the organiser’s financial issues came about because not enough people were paying to watch the live-streams of the event.

Other performers have also confirmed they have left the event, with the official representative group for sex workers from the Balkan region announcing the decision on Twitter on Friday, citing ‘insurmountable issues’.

‘The cameras were non-operational during the first two days of the competition, which hindered the proper execution and documentation of the event,’ Dobra Druzba (Good Friendship) said in a thread on Twitter.

‘We were constantly faced with overloading issues, making it challenging for us to perform effectively. The absence of representatives from the Swedish Sex Federation at the event greatly disappointed us. Also, there was no security personnel present, responsible for ensuring our safety and health.’

According to a post on Twitter from the Swedish Sex Federation, contestants were disqualified for a number of reasons.

It listed these as: ‘Disobeying the rules of the competition and Swedish Sex Federation, Damaging reputation of the Swedish Sex Federation, disrespecting organisation and representatives of the organisation, bringing and consuming illegal psychoactive substances, bringing and consuming alcohol, request for payments without invoices witch is against the Swedish law, and talking about fees during live stream broadcast.’

Dobra Druzba hit back at claims from the organisers that the contestants acted unprofessionally. It released a video recorded by a number of the competitors airing their grievances over the event.

‘Alcohol was provided by the Swedish Sex Federation and we have written correspondence confirming that there was a so-called ‘party night’ included in the competition program,’ the competitors said.

In a statement published by The Daily Star, the Swedish Sex Federation admitted that the situation was ‘not good’ and hit out at the contestants.

‘They all enjoyed all those popularity and took advantage of our organisation to promote themselves and now they ask for something that is not possible to fulfil.

‘We are really devastated with the current situation and we do not have any idea how this will end,’ the statement sad.

Organiser Bratic told the publication that the performers were not invited as porn actors, but as ‘contestants in the First European Sex Championship’ and accused them of not acting like professional athletes.

‘They ignored the rules of the competition and the Swedish Sex Federation and behaved unprofessionally and to the detriment of the federation,’ he said.

‘They even brought alcohol to the house and they did not act like sportsmen at all. All contestants are therefore disqualified from the competition.’

He bemoaned to The Star that none brought flags of their countries (except for Croatia), and that his organisation had to purchase them.

MailOnline has reached out to the Swedish Sex Federation for comment, but is yet to receive a response as of 10am GMT, June 19.

Furious adult film stars have walked out of the European Sex Championships, declaring the event ‘chaos’ that has ‘turned into a horror film’.

The inaugural tournament was set to begin on June 8, with a reported 20 representatives from a dozen or so nations descending on an undisclosed location in Gothenburg, Sweden to take part in the seedy tournament.

However, according to a report, the six-week event to determine the continent’s most elite sex performers was plagued with issues from the start.

‘The situation has gotten out of control. It’s chaos. More than that: it’s turned into a horror film,’ said Selva Lapiedra, Spain‘s representative, according to Marca.com.

Despite initial reports that Scandinavian authorities had recognised the event as an official sport, they have since clarified this isn’t the case and that an application by the event’s organiser to do so was rejected. 

But that did not deter Dragan Bratic who owns a number of strip clubs in the Jönköping area of Sweden, and who is understood to have set up the event to be live streamed over the internet to paying viewers.

However, it was reported last week that Britain’s representative — OnlyFans model Barbie Sins — has pulled out of the event citing ‘health complications’. 

The remaining 19 competitors hail from across the continent, including Spain, Italy, France, Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Croatia.

Participants in the championship were going to be assessed across 16 categories in ’bouts’ to be held over six weeks.

These included their skills in seduction and massage, their proficiency in sex acts, the appearance of their sexual organs, how many times they can orgasm, and their ‘artistry’ and ‘creativity’ in creating a seductive pose.

Bouts were reportedly set to last between 45 minutes to an hour for each category.

According to The Daily Star, female entrants were set to earn themselves £690 for each day they stayed in the venue, while men would earn £345-a-day.

The publication say the winner was promised £860,000.

However, it emerged this week that the contestants left the house over claims that Bratic had failed to pay them so far for their participation.

Lara Lee was another Brit who the Star said was set to fly out to Sweden on Monday, possibly as a replacement for Barbie Sins – but she pulled out at the last minute.

‘I learnt that people had been leaving over claims they weren’t getting paid so I decided to swerve it,’ she told the newspaper.

‘It’s sad because it was a great idea but it sounds like it’s been so badly organised and has ended up a bit of a shambles.’

Ukraine’s entrant Talia Mint posted a video from the house before she left, saying that she and the other performers had been excited to be part of the ‘project’.

However, the 24-year-old uploaded a video to her social media which appeared to show Bratic trying to grab her phone as she left the house.

She claimed in the clip that one competitor had been allowed to enter the competition without being tested for HIV.

‘He refuses to pay me for my time and my work and now you have all the information about this project, I want to get compensation,’ she said. 

She later said in a video that the police were called, but could not enter the property as they did not have a warrant. Now, Mint claims she is taking legal action against Bratic and the The Swedish Sex Federation.

It is believed that the organiser’s financial issues came about because not enough people were paying to watch the live-streams of the event. 

Other performers have also confirmed they have left the event, with the official representative group for sex workers from the Balkan region announcing the decision on Twitter on Friday, citing ‘insurmountable issues’.

‘The cameras were non-operational during the first two days of the competition, which hindered the proper execution and documentation of the event,’ Dobra Druzba (Good Friendship) said in a thread on Twitter.

‘We were constantly faced with overloading issues, making it challenging for us to perform effectively. The absence of representatives from the Swedish Sex Federation at the event greatly disappointed us. Also, there was no security personnel present, responsible for ensuring our safety and health.’

The group said there was no running hot water which ‘impeded basic hygiene,’ and that the sleeping quarters were ‘unsuitable as they did not allow for rest due to the early dawn in Sweden and the lack of blinds or roller shutters.’

The group also hit back at claims from the organisers that the contestants acted unprofessionally, accusing them of drinking. 

‘Alcohol was provided by the Swedish Sex Federation and we have written correspondence confirming that there was a so-called ‘party night’ included in the competition program,’ they said.

In a statement published by The Daily Star, the Swedish Sex Federation admitted that the situation was ‘not good’ and hit out at the contestants.

‘They all enjoyed all those popularity and took advantage of our organisation to promote themselves and now they ask for something that is not possible to fulfil.

‘We are really devastated with the current situation and we do not have any idea how this will end,’ the statement sad.

Organiser Bratic told the publication that the performers were not invited as porn actors, but as ‘contestants in the First European Sex Championship’ and accused them of not acting like professional athletes.

‘They ignored the rules of the competition and the Swedish Sex Federation and behaved unprofessionally and to the detriment of the federation,’ he said.

‘They even brought alcohol to the house and they did not act like sportsmen at all. All contestants are therefore disqualified from the competition.’

He bemoaned to The Star that none brought flags of their countries (except for Croatia), and that his organisation had to purchase them.

MailOnline has reached out to the Swedish Sex Federation for comment, but is yet to receive a response as of 3pm, June 16.

European Central Bank hikes rates again to 22-year high – with more in the pipeline

By Daily Mail City & Finance Reporter

Updated: 16:51 EDT, 15 June 2023

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West Ham United players danced in the streets last night as they returned to their hotel in the centre of Prague and received a hero’s welcome, joining jubilant West Ham fans celebrating their historic win in Prague. 

Last night supporters were in delirium after Jarrod Bowen’s 90th-minute winner saw them become Europa Conference League champions with a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.

Thousands of fans who flocked to the Eden Arena in Prague partied late into the night in the Czech capital, while supporters back home gathered for jubilant celebrations outside the London Stadium.

As the team got off the bus at their hotel goalkeeper Alphonse Areola produced a portable music player and even manager David Moyes joined in the impromptu bop in front of two dozen happy fans after 2am early today.

And goalscorer Bowen was all smiles, laughing as his teammates danced to a song which affectionately celebrates his relationship with Dani Dyer, with whom he has recently had twins.

Despite the early hour, the players looked in no mood to end their celebrations as they walked in the street, hugged and signed autographs for fans.

Because of the time, first choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski tried to quieten fans down in order not to wake other hotel guests up.

But his teammates wanted to get the party rocking and the fans joined in, along with manager Moyes.

Captain Declan Rice, who will on Thursday evening lead an open top bus celebration of the trophy win, was all smiles as he emerged from the team bus to their hotel.

He was followed by his predecessor as club captain, West Ham legend Mark Noble.

As soon as the goalkeeper played the song the players broke into a dance again.

They were soon joined by fans as well, and Brazilian star Lucas Paqueta signed one supporter’s West Ham shirt. Earlier, Paqueta had shown off his dance moves in the dressing room, in a clip posted on the team’s Twitter account.

One fan said: ‘I couldn’t get a ticket for the game, and I was just walking back to my hotel when I saw the coach.

‘I saw Said Banrahama through a coach window and he smiled at me, and then all the players emerged from nowhere.

‘That was like actually being at the match. What a great bunch of lads they are.’  

West Ham manager Moyes, 60, delighted supporters who had travelled more than 600 miles to cheer the Irons on as he strutted his stuff, celebrating the result both on and off the pitch.

In the run up to the big game the former Manchester United boss promised fans he would bring out his ‘dad dancing’ if they were victorious – and he didn’t disappoint as he joined crowds in the Czech capital.

But shocking scenes also saw supporters appearing to clash with police in the city. 

One video showed Prague officers in riot gear storming through a crowd leaving fans sprawling as they raced towards what appeared to be a West Ham fan wielding a glowing red pyrotechnic.

The chaos left fans shocked – with one showing off a bloody elbow following the carnage. 

It came hours after supporters were blasted for throwing plastic pint glasses onto the pitch – with a vape pen thought to be thrown by an Irons supporter gashing the head of Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi.

Crowds were seen dancing on the concourse of the old Olympic stadium, while packed-out bars rocked with joyous supporters. 

Ex-West Ham and England ace Trevor Sinclair was among those who took to the town – posting a raucous video of fans packed into a London venue last night. 

With fans screaming and dancing on tables, the pundit, 50, grinned at the camera as chaos unrolled behind him.  

After Benrahma’s second half penalty was cancelled out by Giacomo Bonaventura, Bowen – who had twins with girlfriend Dani Dyer just two weeks ago – latched onto Paqueta’s perfectly weighted through ball and calmly slotted beyond the reach of the Fiorentina goalkeeper.

West Ham were made to desperately hold on for eight gruelling minutes of stoppage time, but defended stoutly to secure their first European trophy since 1965. 

But as the full-time whistle finally arrived, David Moyes and his players rushed to their travelling fans to share the historic moment with their travelling fans.

It sparked euphoric celebrations both inside the stadium, where players danced on the pitch to music before and after Declan Rice lifted the trophy, as well as a giant party atmosphere in the East End.

Fans immediately began belting out their iconic I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles anthem and hailed Bowen’s name as the winger wrote his name into the club’s folklore.

Speaking to BT Sport, Bowen said: ‘I obviously dreamed of scoring but to score the winner in the last minute – it’s what you always say. 

‘And to do it in front of these fans – I thought I was going to cry.

‘I’m just happy. I can’t put it into words. We’ve had a dream – we haven’t had the best season, myself included.

‘But to do what we’ve done tonight for these fans – to give them this moment, I’m over the moon.’

After 58 years of hurt the team lifted their first European cup since before England won the World Cup.

Fans sang Queen’s We Are The Champions as Declan Rice held the cup. 

And manager David Moyes was seen dancing in celebration as his team finally secured the silverware.

The 60-year-old later said it was the best moment in his career.

Combative midfielder Rice, who covered every blade of grass in the pulsating final, said: ‘Honestly it means absolutely everything. The lads have been so on it. We’ve had a real belief. I’m not just happy for us, for the manager, but for the fans.

‘I’m also happy for (the backroom staff).’

On Bowen’s goal, he added: ‘I said when he ran through on goal, “this is your time”. As soon as you see it hit the back of the net, you don’t know what to do – I’m still in shock!

‘I absolutely love this club. They’ve made me one of their own. I’m just so, so happy.

And addressing comparisons to club greats like Sir Bobby Moore, he said: ‘Do you know what? To be even in that conversation is crazy. 

‘I’ve given the last six years playing my heart out for this club, and it’s not been easy.’

Joe Cole, working as a pundit on BT Sport, heaped praise on the West Ham captain following his performance.

He said: ‘Declan Rice is a special player, an absolutely special player. A special character. And he stands on the shoulders now with Billy Bonds and Bobby Moore. I can say that. I know how good a player he is.

‘I’ve watched him as a young kid when they kindly let me train with the youth team. I saw this young, spotty herbert in midfield running rings around me, and I was 36. I thought “It’s time for me to hang them up, Colely!” I knew when I spoke to him.

‘Forget the playing ability and what he can do on the pitch, his personality, I knew he would become a leader. He’s been here for four, five years ago now and he’s written his name down in the history of this football club. Like I said, he stands next to the great Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds. Fair play to him, I’m so pleased for him.’

Among the crowds, West Ham hero Knollsy – the ‘Angel of Alkmaar’ who bravely defended the team’s supporters from Dutch thugs last month – was seen belting out Bubbles from the middle of packed crowds.

Chris Knoll, 58, became an international sensation last month after he fought off brutes who had intended to attack West Ham supporters, including the wives and girlfriends of the team at AK Alkmaar.

He arrived in Prague on Tuesday to cheers after he was given tickets to the final against  after MailOnline contacted West Ham United executives.

As the father of four disembarked from a train at Prague’s main railway station, he said: ‘I am actually here, and it feels incredible.

‘I just got mobbed by West Ham fans as I came off the train, and that means more to me than anything. I have to say it again, but I only did what would’ve been expected.

‘There were women and children and they could’ve been attacked. I acted instinctively, although I had a feeling there was something bad in the air before.’

Earlier in the match, Fiorentina’s captain suffered a gash to his head after he was hit by a vape pen apparently thrown by a West Ham fan – in shameful scenes just hours after a group of partying Irons supporters were violently ambushed and attacked. 

Italian ultras came at the Londoners with flares, chains, bottles and batons this afternoon, before the Europa Conference League final kicked off.

Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi was treated for blood dripping down his neck after he was apparently hit by a vape pen while taking a corner in front of the Irons supporters.

Plastic pint glasses could be seen raining down on the 30-year-old, who was later wrapped in a matching purple bandage – as the London team were told to have a word with their fans.

The celebratory mood soured in central Prague soon after 3pm when Hammers fans drinking in a bar were attacked by the Italians clad in black clothing and masks.

Several West Ham fans suffered cuts and bruises as the missiles flew. Police in the Czech capital said three West Ham fans and one police officer were injured in the incident.

Thirty Italians were arrested after the attacks, a few hours before the game kicked off. 

One video showed the thuggish fans of the Florence club throwing chairs at the West Ham supports sitting under the arches outside the bar ahead of the Premier League Club’s biggest European match in nearly half a century. Another clip showed the Ultras running down a Prague street carrying make-shift weapons.

As the police moved in to quell the violence, two stun grenades were launched into the Tekila Tekila bar in the city centre, causing loud bangs. Broken glass and a burnt-out chair littered the ground outside the bar after the attack.

Around 300 West Ham fans had been drinking happily, singing without causing any fear to police or locals when they were set upon by the Italian ultras.

As word went round the wider area that their fellow fans were being assaulted, Hammers fans moved towards the bar – and a group of riot police moved in to arrest the Fiorentina football fans causing chaos.

One West Ham fan who witnessed the scenes said: ‘They targeted a group and attacked them quite violently then ran off before anyone could react. It was completely unprovoked. They were all ultras dressed in black. It was pretty grim.’ 

Another eyewitness, retired plumber John Brownlie from Cambridge, said: ‘From nowhere about 100 men with chains, belts, bottles, and flares came round the street corner, and almost pushed over a lady and her baby in a pushchair.

‘The woman quickly was quickly rushed inside to the bar, with her child, but two stun grenades were thrown in there, and caused some fire damage,’ he added.

‘This caused a lot of us to come out of the bar to find out what was going on, and then they started attacking us, punching and kicking us. When they ran, which would’ve been probably a minute later, we ran after them but the police blocked us.

‘They were just cowards. West Ham fans didn’t do anything wrong. This was an ambush,’ Brownlie added.

Another West Ham fan, who did not want to be named, said ‘a large group’ of Italian fans attacked the bar.

‘About eight Italians walked past, swinging bands and chains,’ he said. ‘Five minutes later there was a big group that come down the road and attacked us.’

The man said five West Ham fans were injured ahead of the game kicking off.

He said: ‘Three of our mates (were injured), out of all of this lot there were five. Three of them were our mates. They’ve gone to hospital.’ He said that one of his friends was ‘quite badly’ injured with a ‘massive cut’ on his head.

A 17-year-old witness to the attack on West Ham fans said that Fiorentina fans came around the corner ‘trying to give it large’.

‘We were all standing here, just having a glass,’ he said. ‘And they all come around the corner, trying to give it large. We done nothing wrong.’ 

He said that the Italian fans had ‘chains and belt buckles’. 

‘They were throwing flares and firecrackers,’ he said. 

‘They had chains and belt buckles and everything. They come here, try giving it, and then they ran down the road.’

Around 100 West Ham fans attempted to run towards the bar where their fellow fans were said to have been attacked but were kept at bay by around 50 police officers, some armed with automatic rifles and batons.

The ultras attempted to escape the police and ran through a busy paved shopping area. Some ran through the outside tables of a café where many people were dining, causing crockery, glasses and bottles to smash as tables were overturned.

Despite their efforts, they were rounded up and hemmed in outside a massage parlour. Women working within were seen peering through windows and taking pictures with their phones of the thugs.

MailOnline witnessed a group of suspected thugs being handcuffed and arrested before being led off through the crowds.

Police using tannoys, speaking in Italian, warned the remaining Florentina fans and ultras who were gathering to leave the area immediately.

In a statement on Twitter, along with a photograph of a number of Italian fans in handcuffs on the floor of a shoeshop, Prague’s police forces confirmed that West Ham fans were attacked where in a bar by Fiorentina’s fans.

‘Italy fans attacked West Ham fans in a bar in Rytířská Street, injuring three. One policeman was also attacked,’ the statement said.

‘We have restricted the personal freedom of 16 people and we are currently investigating the whole incident. #policiepha’.

An investigation was ongoing and no more details were immediately provided.

It comes after similarly-cald hooligan supporters of AZ Alkmaar tried to get at West Ham players’ families in chaotic scenes at the end of the semi-final in Holland.

Riot police have been on standby in the hours ahead of tonight’s kick-off.

Earlier, one fan was detained by police for letting off an orange flair in the square, but later released after a ticking-off.

More than 10,000 West Ham fans were gathering in the fan zone to watch the match on a giant screen.

Supporters of their Italian rival without tickets were led to a separate fan zone.

After days of rain, the sun came out and lifted the spirits of the thousands of fans in Prague’s Old Town Square as of pints were downed and bars were packed to the hilt.

But as the final kicked off, many fans who travelled to Prague but were unable to get tickets would have been disappointed to see several hundred empty seats in the stadium. 

Sam Nicola, 32, a London black cab driver who was wearing a claret and blue curly wig, said: ‘I woke up this morning and my whole body went into this state of anxiety.

‘I couldn’t talk and I keep thinking about what might happen. It is far worse than normal butterflies, believe me.

‘We just have to win, and I promised all my mates that I will wear this wig in my cab for a week if we do.’

His brother Jay, 35, who also wore a similar wig and drives a black cab, added: ‘ we have waited so long for this. But there was a lot of nerves.

‘But I believe we can do it. We will bring that trophy home. We will win 2-1.’

London dentist Aditi Tanna, 28, who wore a West Ham hat and shirt said: ‘It is so amazing being here with all these great West Ham fans. We have made many new friends.

‘My boyfriend Ajay and I came into Prague on a train from Vienna this morning and for four more Euros we were put into first class and given a class of Prosecco so that was a great way to start the day.

‘I feel it is getting better and better all the way to winning the cup tonight.

‘We don’t have tickets, but it is much more fun being here than watching it on TV from the sofa. ‘

Keilan Schemeri, 31, from Gibraltar whose father Joe is from London and a Hammer’s fan said: ‘It will be 3-1 to West Ham. We are going all the way.’

Former West Ham striker, Tony Cottee join supporters in the old town Square as a sign his name.

Actor and comedian James Corden, a lifelong West Ham fan, also flew into the Czech Republic and posed happily with supporters for photographs.

Folk hero Knollsy, who was dubbed the ‘Angel of Alkmaar’ after fighting off thugs out to attack West Ham fans last month, was mobbed by well-wishers as he walked through the square wearing a black West Ham shirt.

The final is West Ham’s first in Europe since 1976, and they are bidding to win their first trophy since the FA Cup 43 years ago.

Greg Robson, 59, from Manor Park, east London, told the PA news agency he has been a season ticket holder for 43 years.

‘First game was 1969, with my dad, sadly no longer with us,’ he said. ‘And I’ve had a season ticket since the age of 16. This is about my 43rd year now going home and away, following them abroad. I just love West Ham United.’

He said it felt ‘unbelievable’ to be in a European final.

‘I was just one when we first won it, 11 in ’76,’ he said. ‘So really, for me, this is the first time to actually go to one.’ He said he booked his flight to Prague before West Ham had even made the knockout stages.

‘We actually booked the flights when we were in the group stages,’ he said. ‘So it’s a gamble that paid off.’ He added that he will ‘party all night’ if the Hammers win.

‘Just party, party all night,’ he said. ‘I’ve got an early flight in the morning, but I might be missing that.’

Andrew Hall, 54, from Surrey, said: ‘If we’re celebrating I could be here for another week.’ He added that he had spent ‘probably £1,000’ on his trip to Prague, adding: ‘But it’s worth every penny.’

Steve Wick, 60, from Hertfordshire, said he had travelled for hours to make it to the Czech capital. ‘We drove 13 hours,’ he said. ‘We got the shuttle over from Folkestone and then drove through. So 13 hours door to door.’

He said it had been ‘years and years’ since the team had had any major success.

‘If we win this tonight it will be mega for the fans,’ he added. ‘It has been years and years since we’ve had any glory. And I think this is going to be it.’

Dan Lee from Romford said he had spent more than £1,000 on his trip to the final.

‘All in, over £1,000, but it’s what you do for West Ham,’ he said.

He added that being in a European final meant ‘everything’ to him.

‘Never did you think that little old West Ham would get this far,’ he said.

Britain leaves European rivals trailing in the space race (despite Virgin Orbit crashing back to earth)

By Leah Montebello For The Daily Mail

Published: 16:51 EDT, 16 May 2023 | Updated: 16:51 EDT, 16 May 2023

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