Weekend Derbies Showcase Worse Aspects of Greek Football

Weekend Derbies Showcase Worse Aspects of Greek Football


Two blockbuster derbies and two major talking points, unfortunately occurrences which are all too familiar in Greek football.

Aris became the first team to beat PAOK this season in an action-packed Macedonian derby. The football was good, the atmosphere was just as good. PAOK have not reached their full potential so far this season and a rampant Aris took full advantage. The hosts started the season slowly but are finding form.

However, news emerged that a 28 year old Bulgarian man had passed away after the match. He was present at the Kleanthis Vikelidis as a fan of Botev Plovdiv, who enjoy a good relationship with Aris fans, in particular Super 3. This is common in the football culture in southern Europe. According to reports, a group of 15-20 PAOK fans confronted the man, who was in a smaller group. He was then run over by a car a day after the match itself.

As someone who loves most things associated with Greek football ultras, this is unacceptable and another blight on the League, even though the clubs and most honest, hard-working fans are powerless to stop the perpetrators. Who knows what goes through their heads? Unfortunately we are left talking about fan violence after derbies all too often. Go to the stadium, support the team, chant loud and proud, light flares, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your mates. It is a way of life, but enough with these antics and mob mentality attacking anyone in rival colours.

A day later, Olympiakos edged Panathinaikos in the most controversial derby of the season yet. The latest clash of the Derby of the Eternal Enemies, took place in front of an empty Georgios Karaiskakis stadium, as the hosts were serving a punishment for fan trouble of their own in their last derby against PAOK. Fans play a vital role in the outcome of derbies in the Greek football landscape due to their sheer passion. It represented a huge opportunity for a Panathinaikos outfit finding its feet.

To their credit, the Greens were strong in the battle, highly physical and fought for every ball. The team was set up nicely and kept the hosts at bay. A goal was ruled out for offisde (a correct call), but two stonewall penalties getting waved away cannot be ignored. VAR thought they were penalties, but alarmingly, Finnish referee Mattias Gestranius thought otherwise. The evidence is damning...

Giannis Bouzoukis and Federico Macheda were stepped on inside the box in either half, with the former taking to social media to voice his dissatisfaction. Bouzoukis posted a photo on Instagram, while Christos Donis did likewise with the caption "Happy New Year, we continue with the same things", referring to the poor officiating that has hampered Greek football over the years. It only adds fuel to the fire that Olympiakos get the rub of the green when it comes to refereeing decisions.

If they had lost that match in those circumstances, what would be the odds of their club calling for the League to be suspended?

Fan violence and poor officiating - two issues that have significantly hampered the progress of Greek football, both on show in two big derbies a day apart. There is so much 'good' in Greek football but have we failed to properly address these two glaring issues?

Hellas Football

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