Greek football fan fatally stabbed ahead of Champions League match

A Greek football fan was fatally stabbed in the outskirts of Athens on Monday evening during a brawl between supporters of AEK Athens and their Croatian visitors, Dinamo Zagreb. The incident occurred on the eve of their encounter in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, according to police reports.

Authorities stated that at least six other fans were injured in the altercation that took place on Monday evening. The 22-year-old victim was transferred from the suburban stadium to a hospital in Athens, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The police further elaborated, "A serious incident occurred outside the Nea Filadelfia Stadium. A Greek youth was fatally stabbed, and six injured individuals were transported to the hospital."

Following the brawl that erupted between the two sets of supporters on the day of the first-leg match in Athens, leading to the return match scheduled in Zagreb a week later, a total of 83 individuals were apprehended.

The winner of the tie will progress to the play-off round for qualification to the group stage.

Violence has marred numerous Greek football matches in the past, prompting the government last year to increase the maximum penalty for fan-related violence from six months to five years after a fan was also fatally stabbed.

In February 2022, a 19-year-old, Alexis Kambanos, lost his life during a clash between supporters of the rival clubs Ares Thessaloniki and PAOK in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

Last month, seven individuals were convicted for his murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, while five others received prison terms exceeding 19 years for complicity.

These incidents mark the third death resulting from fan violence in Thessaloniki within three years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP