August 10 – Greece’s AEK Athens, Greek media and fan groups have called on UEFA to ban Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb from European competition after clashes before a Champions League third qualifying round match in Athens left one fan stabbed to death and the match being postponed.
The Croatian leg of the fixture is still scheduled to be played Tuesday August 15, while the Athens leg has now been rescheduled by UEFA to August 19.
In a statement announcing the postponement, UEFA said it “deplores in the strongest possible terms the appalling incidents that took place in Athens last night and resulted in the loss of a life. While expressing our deepest sympathy to the family of the victim, to AEK Athens FC and its fans, we would like to reiterate that violence has no place in our sport and we expect that those responsible for this terrible act be arrested and consigned to justice in the shortest delay.”
This isn’t enough for the Greek club or Greek media who want Croatian expelled from European competition.
AEK said in a statement: “The exact same question that torments our fans and we find out in the last few hours in every way, torments us too: How is it possible that after the barbaric murder of Michalis by a pack of vagabond criminals from Croatia, can AEK enter the field and to play against this particular team?
“Will some of his killers be in the stands? Will it be their partners in crime who today celebrate on social media the murder their friends committed? The ones who curse our world and take pride in the murder committed by their fellow travelers in organized crime?…
“Is the lobbying of the Croatians in the UEFA context more important than the human life taken by the murderers? And does the good of European football demand that we make our players play football in their den as if nothing happened?,” continued the statement.
“There is only one way: Immediate and severe punishment now! The civilized European football world is waiting for this. The same with AEK!”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1715778751labto1715778751ofdlr1715778751owedi1715778751sni@o1715778751fni1715778751