HARD SEL Premier League club open to staging foreign cup final nobody wants to host due to feared fans

Posted Friday, May 12, 2023 by Thesun.co.uk

GREEK football bosses have struggled to find a location for their Cup final - even though it is due to be staged on May 24.

Greek FA president Panagiotis Baltakos had been keen on playing the game abroad.

HARD SEL Premier League club open to staging foreign cup final nobody wants to host due to feared fans
Selhurst Park was a potential option to host the Greek Cup final

HARD SEL Premier League club open to staging foreign cup final nobody wants to host due to feared fans
The final will be a high risk clash between AEK Athens and PAOK

That is despite it being a high risk clash between AEK Athens and PAOK.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was open to the idea.

Selhurst Park has a capacity of 25,486.

The Eagles are at home to Bournemouth this Saturday and then face Fulham the following week.

They will conclude their Premier League back on home turf on May 28.

And even Australia, with a large Greek population was looked at.

Cyprus have turned down the chance due to the potential behaviour of the two sets of fans. And now the game could be in Poland.

The city of Sosnowiec is an option.

And the Greek FA could announce the venue on Friday - just 12 days before the showpiece.

Clashes between the two sides are known as the double-headed eagles derby with both clubs being refugees from Constantinople, AEK in Nea Filadelfeia and PAOK in Thessaloniki, after the Greco-Turkish War, the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the population exchange.

Both sides use the same double-headed eagle emblem but in different colours, and there have been numerous chaotic and terrifying clashes between supporters and players over recent years.