Greek law enforcement has embarked on a series of interviews with numerous suspects in relation to the tragic fatal stabbing of a football fan in the vicinity of Athens, just ahead of a scheduled Champions League match this week. The incident, which claimed the life of 29-year-old Michalis Katsouris, occurred during a clash between fervent supporters of AEK Athens and Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb on Monday.
The untimely demise of Katsouris led to the postponement of the anticipated third-round qualifier between the two teams, as announced by UEFA. The match, initially set for Tuesday, has been rescheduled to take place on August 19, allowing time for investigations and safety assessments to be conducted.
Law enforcement authorities carried out approximately 100 arrests, primarily linked to Dinamo Zagreb’s ‘Bad Blue Boys’ ultras, as confirmed by a judicial source.
A panel of three judges is currently overseeing the interviews with the suspects, a process expected to conclude on Sunday night, according to local media reports.
In response to the incident, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin engaged in a telephonic discussion. An official statement conveyed their intention to meet in Athens next Wednesday to deliberate on the state of affairs in both Greek and European football.
This tragedy marks a grim occurrence in a nation where football-related violence has become distressingly common. Last year, the fatal stabbing of teenager Alkis Kampanos in Thessaloniki during a clash between supporters of rival clubs Aris Thessaloniki and PAOK elicited shock and raised concerns about the escalating violence associated with football matches. As a result, the Greek government augmented the maximum sentence for fan violence from six months to five years.
In a separate development, seven Romanian fans were apprehended on the Greece-Bulgaria border in possession of knives while en route to a Champions League qualifier. These individuals were sentenced to one year of suspended prison terms along with a fine of €1,000 ($1,095) each.
The tragic demise of Katsouris and the broader issue of football-related violence have prompted significant discussions involving top government officials, UEFA representatives, and the owners of Greece’s major football clubs. Heightened border security measures have been implemented by the police in the wake of this incident, highlighting the urgency to address the pressing concerns surrounding the safety and conduct of football events.
