During the first half, tempers flared between the technical areas of West Ham and Leverkusen. The referee sent off West Ham assistant coach Billy McKinlay and Leverkusen coach Sebastian Parrilla for their heated altercation. The decision to book Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta, leading to his suspension for the return leg, was heavily criticized by West Ham’s manager, David Moyes. Moyes expressed his disappointment at the behavior of Leverkusen’s bench, condemning their reaction to the incident as a poor display of sportsmanship.

In response to Moyes’ comments, Leverkusen’s coach Alonso defended the referee’s decision, stating that Paqueta’s booking was justified. He also dismissed Moyes’ accusations of disgraceful behavior, highlighting that both teams have the right to communicate with the officials. Despite the controversy, West Ham managed to secure a 1-1 draw with Leverkusen in the second leg. Following the match, the team’s coach expressed frustration with the officiating and implied a sense of imbalance in the officials’ decisions.

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