With Super League champions Olympiakos leading 2-1 in the 86th minute at a hostile Toumba stadium, PAOK were denied what looked like a clear penalty when Slovakia midfielder Robert Mak was felled by visiting keeper Stefano Kampino.
PAOK’s players and supporters were incensed at the decision, prompting large groups of fans to storm on to the pitch with riot police forced to intervene.
Fans fought running battles with police, hurling flares and missiles before being dispersed.
“I would like to apologise in front of everyone, unfortunately we are not seeing any positive moves forward and this is the cause of the unacceptable things we have seen today,” said Savvidis, who added that match should be replayed with a foreign referee and that his team would not take part in the second leg scheduled for April 6.
“We will not come to Athens to play the second leg, whatever the punishment, my position will not change; PAOK’s position on this will not change even if they throw us out of the Super League,” he said.
It was the second time in Greece this season a match has been stopped following the Athens derby last November involving Panathinaikos and Olympiakos which was called off due to violent clashes between fans and police before kickoff.
Greek football has been continuously plagued by crowd trouble and PAOK can expect a hefty punishment.
(Reporting by Graham Wood, editing by Ed Osmond)
Share
