Video has emerged showing the owner of West Ham United’s European bogey team being arrested at an airport.
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Under Slaven Bilic West Ham qualified made it to the Europa League qualifiers in two consecutive seasons.
But, bizarrely, both times they were knocked out by minnows Astra Giurgiu.
In 2015 West Ham were knocked out of the Europa League in the third qualifying round following a 2-1 defeat at the Romanian side’s 8,500 capacity ground.
West Ham’s unlikely European nemesis
The defeat saw the Hammers lose 4-3 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw the in the first leg.
A year later Astra ‘Googoo’ – as they were infamously referred to be one angry West Ham fan interviewed after the game – knocked them out in the qualifying round for the second year in a row.
After a 1-1 away draw West Ham had the advantage back at the London Stadium.
But former West Brom player Filipe Teixeira scored the only goal of the game to seal a 1-0 win for the then-Romanian champions.
Hammers have not had a sniff of Europe since but this season could be different
West Ham have not come close to qualifying for Europe since.
But they are being hotly tipped to do so this season under David Moyes.
They won’t be facing Astra if they do. They are struggling at the wrong end of the Romanian Liga 1 and facing the threat of relegation.
West Ham fans will be interested to see the goings-on at their European nemesis this weekend.
That’s after video emerged showing Astra Giurgiu owner Ioan Niculae being arrested at Bucharest Airport.
Video shows Astra owner being arrested at airport as he is jailed for five years over ‘corruption’
Romanian football journalist Emanuel Rosu posted a video of the arrest on Twitter.
“Astra owner Niculae arrested at the airport in Bucharest after he arrived from Italy.
“He was sentenced yesterday to five years in jail. The future of Astra is in major doubt right now.
“Big debts, players unpaid for three months. Niculae was once referred to as a ‘billionaire’.”
So it seems the future is very uncertain for West Ham’s Europa League bogey men.
According to the likes of Romania Insider, Niculae – billed the country’s richest man – was jailed for ‘corruption’.
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