Greek police gear up for trouble at Champions League final

AFP - 20 April 2007 16:42

A Manchester United supporter clashes with police before the start of the Champions League quarter-final against AS Roma on 10 April 2007. Greek police are preparing a massive mobilisation to deal with an expected 50,000 football fans -- including many English supporters -- expected to travel to Athens for the Champions League final on 23 May 2007.

ATHENS (AFP) - Greek police are preparing a massive mobilisation to deal with an expected 50,000 football fans -- including many English supporters -- expected to travel to Athens for the Champions League final on May 23, a police source said Friday.

Around 35,000 fans with tickets for the final will be escorted by police directly to the Olympic Stadium, the police source said after an emergency meeting between the public order ministry and Athens municipal officials.

But the 15,000 fans travelling to Athens without tickets to the final, who will be permitted to move freely around Athens, will have their movements shadowed by riot police, the source said.

Around 15,000 police officers will be mobilised for the event, in an operation rarely seen since Athens hosted the 2004 Olympics.

Greek authorities fear hooliganism incidents as three of the four clubs currently in the semi-finals are from England, and English fans have a history of being involved in trouble abroad.

Chelsea and Liverpool face off for a place in the final, while Manchester United take on Italy's AC Milan for the remaining berth.

Known as the 'tifosi', Italian fans also have a rowdy reputation, and there is concern that visiting fans will get into run-ins with Greek hooligans, whose reaction is an unknown factor.

"Let's prepare the holy oil for extreme unction," Greek Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras said at the meeting, according to state TV NET.

Other measures for the final include a 24-hour guard posted around stadiums and hotels where referees, club officials and sponsors will be staying.

British police are also expected to be on hand to provide assistance.

Greece is currently facing a resurgence of hooligan violence despite a spate of measures and tougher legislation introduced to combat a phenomenon that has plagued Greek sport for decades.

Last month, a 25-year-old fan died in an arranged pitched battle between around 300 hooligans of Greek arch-rivals Olympiakos Pireaus and Panathinaikos Athens, causing widespread outrage in the country.

The government declared a two-week ban on team sports to let tempers cool off, but the resumption of football matches over the weekend saw more violence.