ATHENS – The final of the football Greek Cup will take place without the participation of fans due to fears of violence.
This was announced by the representatives of the home association, who tried in vain to find a neutral field abroad for the final duel. The duel for the trophy between AEK Athens and PAOK Thessaloniki will be played in Volos on May 20 and only invited spectators will see it directly in the stadium.
“That thing bothers us a lot. The cup final should be a celebration of football,” said the deputy director of the Greek Football Association Sterjos Antoniu.
Although the leadership of the union announced at the beginning of April that the final will take place in Cyprus, the local police swept their plan off the table, saying that they could not ensure the security of the match. Officials also looked for an alternative venue in England, Germany or Australia, but no cooperation could be arranged.
Football matches in Greece have been regularly accompanied by riots in recent years, last year’s cup final was also marked by violence.
- Author: © List
- Source: CTK
