UEFA has concerns over hosting Conference League final in Athens

UEFA has concerns over hosting Europa Conference League final in Athens after footage shows AEK hooligans pre-arranged fatal fight with Dinamo Zagreb fans that saw a 29-year-old stabbed to death

  • UEFA has concerns over hosting the Conference League final in Greece
  • A 29-year-old was killed in Athens after being stabbed in a clash between ultras
  • Footage shows a group of supporters huddled together before violence erupted

New horrific footage has emerged showing the deadly exchanges outside the AEK Athens’ stadium on Monday that led to nearly 100 Croatian football fans appearing in court over criminal charges.

Violence erupted outside the Opap Arena on Monday with UEFA now concerned about hosting the Europa Conference League final at the venue in May. 

The barbaric scenes led to the cancellation of AEK Athens’ Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Zagreb after a 29-year-old Greek fan was stabbed to death outside the ground.

There were original suspicions that the fatal clash between rival sets of ultras supporters was random and spontaneous, however new footage posted on Twitter tells the story of a pre-meditated rumble.

Huddles of thugs can be seen grouped together outside the Greek club’s stadium with the numbers beginning to swell and some are seen holding weapons before flammable projectiles are thrown over a barrier.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin will travel to Greece on Wednesday to hold talks over recent fan violence

Horrific scenes saw AEK Athens and Dinamo Zagreb supporters fighting outside the OPAP Arena on Monday

There are concerns over hosting the UEFA Conference League final at the AEK Athens venue

Petrol bombs can be seen exploding on contact while flares are also used in an attempt to cause serious harm.

Violence then erupts as the group who were having projectiles thrown at them storm en masse to the flood of ultras who quickly turn and run away from the scene.

Hooded and masked figures who led the charge appear to be carrying wooden planks and other devices as the chaos spills into a nearby street.

Some members of the public attempt to try and steer clear of the evident danger as they nervously walk down the street while the anger-fuelled horde race down the road.

Footage shows a group of supporters huddled together before fighting broke out amongst fans on Monday


AEK Athens fans paid tribute to the 29-year-old supporter who was stabbed to death

There is a congregation of ultras at the bottom of the road with striking red flares then set off in the crowd before they disperse running in the opposite direction back towards the stadium while still carrying weapons.

The ugly scenes on show have prompted fears from UEFA that the venue may not be safe for hosting the Conference League final scheduled to take place on May 29.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin will travel to the country on Wednesday to hold talks with Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the recent fan violence.

Government sporting officials have also been invited to talks after ten people were injured and four were hospitalised.

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