Athens, Greece – UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin engaged in discussions with Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday, pledging a more robust approach to addressing organized violence within soccer following a fatal attack carried out by Croatian fans in Athens.
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The meeting, joined later by representatives from Greece’s prominent clubs, took place against the backdrop of a recent incident in which a 29-year-old AEK Athens supporter, Michalis Katsouris, was fatally stabbed during an assault orchestrated by Dinamo Zagreb fans. Masked and armed with wooden bats, the Croatian fans launched the attack outside AEK’s stadium.
Hours before the Super Cup match between Sevilla and Manchester City at Karaiskakis Stadium near Athens, Ceferin expressed his sentiments, stating, “We have a fantastic match tonight but this time it’s a bit different… We all feel sorrow. We feel outrage because of the idiotic things that happened, the violence without any reason.” He emphasized that these perpetrators should not be labeled as football fans.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis revealed that the major Greek clubs – AEK, Panathinaikos, Olympiakos, and PAOK – have concurred to exert greater control over supporters’ organizations. He further indicated Greece’s support for enhanced collaboration between UEFA and law enforcement agencies within the European Union.
In response to the Athens attack, more than 100 individuals, primarily Croatian nationals, have been detained on charges including murder and participation in a criminal gang. Croatian President Zoran Milanović criticized Greek authorities’ handling of the arrested fans, referring to them as “prisoners of war.” This comment garnered a reaction from a Greek government official who deemed it unhelpful.
Although UEFA canceled a Champions League qualifier between AEK and Dinamo in response to the incident, the request by the Greek club to suspend Dinamo was denied. AEK managed to secure a late 2-1 victory over Dinamo at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, with midfielder Costas Galanopoulos delivering the decisive goal in the 90th minute. Holding a black armband after scoring, Galanopoulos conveyed the team’s solidarity with the tragedy.
Reflecting on the win, he stated, “We really wanted the win…I didn’t know how to celebrate the goal, and I didn’t want to provoke anyone — the fans or the team — but it was the least we could do as players and as a club.”
