Champions League match in Greece postponed after fan dies in brawl with Dinamo Zagreb supporters
Athens, Greece – A Champions League match set to take place in Greece has been postponed following a violent brawl between fans, which resulted in the death of a Greek football supporter. The altercation occurred during a clash between supporters of Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb and fans of Greek team AEK Athens.
According to reports, a 29-year-old AEK supporter was fatally injured by a sharp object during the brawl. Greek police have confirmed that they have arrested 98 individuals in connection with the incident, including 87 Croats and five Greeks. Additionally, eight people were injured during the altercation, including a minor who suffered a head injury.
The Greek state broadcaster reported that a group of 150-200 organized Dinamo fans had entered Greece in several cars, despite a ban on the movement of fans from Croatia ahead of the game. Clashes ensued between the two groups, with participants using improvised incendiary devices, bats, sharp objects, and stones.
Greek authorities have launched an internal investigation into the violent clashes, with the Greek Minister of Citizen Protection expressing condolences to the victim’s family. As a result of the incident, seven high-ranking police officers have been removed from their positions, including the head of the sub-directorate for combating violence in sports venues. The Minister warned that more officers could face disciplinary action.
Expressing their condemnation of the incident, UEFA, European football’s governing body, stated that the conditions for the match to proceed were not met. The first-leg match between AEK Athens and Dinamo Zagreb will now be played on a later date, with the originally scheduled second leg taking place in Zagreb as planned. UEFA reiterated that no away fans would be allowed to attend either of the two games.
UEFA also confirmed that the UEFA Super Cup final between Manchester City and Sevilla, scheduled for August 16, will proceed as planned at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus.
Violence in sports is continuously condemned, and UEFA expects the responsible individuals to be arrested and brought to justice swiftly. The incident has once again highlighted the need for improved security measures and stricter enforcement to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.