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AEK Athens fans chase everyone off the pitch after their side scores own goal

Dirty Tackle

It was a bizarre, but not entirely unexpected scene in Greece when AEK Athens supporters immediately chased both their own team and Panathrakikos off the pitch after their side conceded a late own goal. This was to be the second to last match of the season and with AEK in serious danger of relegation for the first time in the club's 89-year history, the home supporters were even more on edge than usual. So when the 0-0 deadlock was finally broken in the 87th minute with an AEK own goal, the fans immediately charged the pitch, sending everyone from both teams running for the tunnel.

The match was abandoned after a 90-minute delay and a total of 15 arrests were made. Perhaps due to the stress of the whole situation, AEK's president was admitted to the hospital with chest pains on Monday.

From Reuters:

Panthrakikos president Dimitris Tzelepis spoke of his fear at watching his players and officials being attacked.

Panthrakikos goalkeeper Spiros Vrontaras and team manager Haris Mavromatis suffered facial injuries as they escaped to the dressing rooms.

"Both Spiros and Haris received blows to the face and generally had very bad knocks, I was afraid when I saw them," Tzelepis told Sentra 103,3 radio.

"There was fear among everyone, including myself, when I went to the locker room. The behaviour of the AEK squad and team officials was excellent before and after, there were no problems from them."

As if the pitch invasion wasn't idiotic enough, there's a very real chance that AEK will be hit with a points deduction because of the fan violence, which would make their relegation to the Greek second division almost certain.

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