Damage at Cup Final estimated at 300,000 euros

According to an initial estimate, around 300,000 euros’ worth of damage was inflicted on the Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos, central Greece, on Saturday when supporters of PAOK and AEK soccer clubs clashed before the Greek Cup Final.

According to stadium manager Tassos Milanos, some 2,000 seats were ripped up and destroyed by hooligans. He added that all the bathrooms at the stadium, built for the Athens 2004 Olympics, were destroyed, along with CCTV cameras and other equipment.

Milanos said that the Hellenic Football Federation would have to pay for the damage as it organized the final. There had been concern before the match that the stadium was not suitable to host the game between the Athens and Thessaloniki rivals, which PAOK won 2-1.

However, authorities took the decision on Friday for the match to go ahead. A lack of adequate policing and the arena’s unusual design, which includes a footbridge with access to both ends of the stadium, was blamed for rival fans being able to charge at each other.

The violence was condemned by opposition parties, which blamed the government for the scenes in Volos.