Greek football fan stabbed to death ahead of AEK Athens-Dinamo Zagreb match

A Greek football fan was stabbed to death on the outskirts of Athens on Monday night during a brawl between rival club supporters that left at least six others injured, police said.

The 22-year-old man was transported from the stadium in the suburbs to an Athens hospital where he died, according to police.

The fight between fans broke out ahead of the UEFA Champions League third-qualifying-round match between hosts AEK Athens and Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb.

"A serious incident took place outside the Nea Filadelfeia stadium," Greek police said. "A young Greek man was stabbed to death and six other injured people are in hospital."

Police said 83 people were arrested following the clash.

Violence has marred a number of previous Greek football matches, and last year the government increased the maximum sentence for crimes of fan violence from six months to five years after another stabbing death.

Alkis Kampanos, 19, was killed in February 2022 in the northern city of Thessaloniki during a fight between supporters of the city's rival clubs Aris Thessaloniki and PAOK.

Last month, seven defendants were found guilty of his murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Five others received sentences of more than 19 years for complicity.

It was the third death due to fan violence in a three-year period in Thessaloniki alone.