May 12 – The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) have at last found a venue willing and able to host the Greek Cup final between AEK Athens and PAOK Thessaloniki on May 24. The Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos will host a final that will be played behind closed doors.
After weeks of searching for a stadium to host the final, the Volos stadium was eventually settled on after the city’s mayor, Achilleas Beos, initially refused to grant Panthessaliko Stadium due to security concerns. He changed his mind following talks with the presidents of the two finalists.
For almost a month, the management of the Hellenic Football Federation has been looking for a suitable stadium to hold what was defined as a high-risk match. Cities in Cyprus, England, Germany, Albania and Poland were all considered as options to host the final.
The final between will be played without fans – both teams receiving only 20 invitations each. The EPO will receive just 50 match passes, which will be distributed to the main sponsors of the competition. The Federation’s Executive Committee will also be able to attend. An option to admit students up to 13 years of age, who will be able to enter the stadium for free, is also being discussed. However, this has not yet been officially decided.
“As a factor in football that I love and have served for many years, I express my deep sadness at the tragic handling of those in charge regarding the conduct of a top sporting event such as the Cup final, which instead of a celebration and opportunity to showcase and spread of the world-loved sport becomes yet another cause of its defamation, but also of discrediting the institutions,” said Beos in a statement.
“With the amateurish, in the most lenient expression, manipulations, which the sports-loving public is watching in amazement, we were led to the tragic impasse of not being able to hold the final on a stadium in the Greek Territory!
“Given this and after the private discussions with the owners of the two teams in the final, Mr. Melissanidis and Savvidis, whose strong concerns I understand, I have decided to withdraw my decision not to grant the Panthessaliko Stadium for the holding of the final of the Greek Cup.”
In their own statement the executive committee of the Greek federation sad that they accepted the conditions of the mayor to host in Volos, ”with the footnote that the two finalists do not accept the conditions of the event, wishing for the presence of their fans, however they will necessarily accept the conditions set by EPO and Panthessaliko SA.”
The statement went on to say that if for any reason the match cannot be held on May 24, then it will be moved to the Elbasan Arena, in the city of Elbasan, Albania, “on the same or the next available and objectively feasible date”.
Contact the writer of this story, Alexander Krassimirov, at moc.l1731481248labto1731481248ofdlr1731481248owedi1731481248sni@o1731481248fni1731481248