Midweek play postponed due to national mourning following death of archbishop

League officials concerned about league schedule’s delay; top clubs announce new acquisitions

Tomorrow’s Super League round of midweek soccer action has been postponed because of the death yesterday of Archbishop Christodoulos, the head of the Church of Greece. The government has declared four days of national mourning.

Soccer officials had planned the midweek round of play in an attempt to catch up on lost play that was caused by last summer’s tragic wildfires around the country.

“The federation must take part in the national mourning and honor the archbishop,” said its chief, Vassilis Gagatsis.

The round of play that had been intended for tomorrow will now take place next weekend, on February 2 and 3, league officials said.

The latest postponement has raised concern among league officials who fear that no obvious dates are available as a result of commitments regarding the national team and Greek clubs still involved in European action.

Despite the archbishop’s death, a second-division fixture yesterday between Ionikos and visiting Agrotikos Asteras did proceed, as the latter had already made the trip to Athens. Ionikos won 3-1. The teams observed a minute’s silence and wore black armbands.

Meanwhile, the top-tier competition’s frontrunner AEK yesterday announced a six-month deal with 29-year-old striker Mohamed Kallon of Monaco. The Sierra Leone national moved to the Athens club from Monaco, where he spent two tenures over the past three seasons.

Kallon struggled for form last season, scoring just twice in 12 games, but had found the net 11 times in 34 games in the 2004-05 season. He had moved to Monaco from leading Italian club Inter, where he had scored 14 goals in three seasons.

Defending champion Olympiakos yesterday announced the acquisition of Brazilian defender Leonardo on a five-year deal. He moved to the Piraeus team from second-division Brazilian club Portuguesa in Sao Paolo.

Panathinaikos announced two signings, Panionios left-back Nikos Spyropoulos on a four-and-a-half year contract, and Antonis Petropoulos who moved from Aegaleo in a deal until 2012.