By Andrew Warshaw
April 15 – The political instability in Greece has now been matched by football unrest after AEK Athens players were chased off the pitch by their fans, causing the abandonment of their top-division fixture at the weekend.
AEK, who desperately needed victory to help their survival fight, fell behind late on when defender Mavroudis Bougaidis turned the ball into his own net prompting a mass pitch invasion.
Both sets of players ran for the safety of the dressing rooms as play was halted. Police and security officials moved in to clear the pitch but after a further 90-minute delay the game was called off.
“We are going through very difficult moments right now,” said AEK coach Traianos Dellas whose team were one point above the relegation zone at start of play.
“I would like to say many things but I do not want to make things worse. I know how the real, pure AEK fans feel today and I would like to apologise to them, the others [who invaded the pitch] did not even let us try to save ourselves in the final game next week.”
AEK are certain to be punished heavily, most likely resulting in relegation for the first time in their 89-year history. Panathinaikos were docked five points, handed an automatic 3-0 defeat and ordered to play four games behind closed doors as punishment for a similar incident last season.
AEK have been operating on a shoe-string budget after a period of financial turmoil and are desperately seeking new investors. In another blow to their image, midfielder Giorgos Katidis was recently banned for the rest of the season – and from the national team for life – for his infamous Nazi salute goal celebration.
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