While U.S. sports teams use wacky promotions to boost attendance, over in Greece they have a different approach. Why wouldn’t you attend a soccer game that had the potential for riots and flaming missiles?
It all happened at the Greek Cup on Wednesday, as PAOK played AEK Athens in a semifinal match. During the 58th minute, AEK’s Argentine goalkeeper, Sebastian Saja, was hit by a flare thrown from the stands. Although he wasn’t injured, his jersey was singed, according to Reuters (get that thing on eBay!).
But that was just the beginning of the fun.
Then, with barely a minute remaining, dozens of PAOK fans invaded the pitch and started clashing with riot police. TV cameras were also attacked as AEK players and the referee ran off the pitch.
Play was suspended for 20 minutes before the referee returned to blow the final whistle. No stoppage time was played.
The incident was the fifth pitch invasion of a season plagued by violence inside and outside Greek stadiums.
A players’ strike was narrowly averted last week after their PSAP union failed to get the backing of all 16 top flight clubs — a move prompted as a reaction to the increase in crowd violence.
New motto for Greek soccer: This Is Sparta!
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PAOK face punishment after pitch invasion [Reuters]
AEK Athens goalkeeper hit with a flare [Dirty Tackle]
