Greek derby canceled after fan riots
Greek soccer was dealt yet another blow on Saturday after the cancelation of the Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos derby and the riots with one police officer injured and significant damage to the area surrounding the Panathinaikos ground at Ambelokipi.
An hour and a half before kickoff the entrance of Olympiakos players on the turf at the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium was greeted with a number of flares, one which injured Olympiakos striker Alfred Finnbogason.
Clashes followed between fans and the police – with only Panathinaikos supporters at the stadium. One police officer rushed to hospital rushed to hospital with a serious head injury.
Two hours and 10 minutes after the incidents referee Andreas Pappas decided to call the game off, a decision that brought chaos at the ground and the surrounding areas. Livid Panathinaikos supporters broke barriers and stormed the pitch to clash with police with the riots spilling over to the streets of Ambelokipi.
The Super League will now decide the fate of the derby, but it is highly likely Olympiakos will be awarded all three points and Panathinaikos will receive a stadium ban, a fine and a points deduction.
In the fixtures where soccer was actually played on Saturday, Asteras Tripolis downed Atromitos 1-0 and PAS Giannina defeated Kalloni Lesvou 2-1.
