Five fans arrested in Greece over UEFA Cup violence

Four Olympiakos Piraeus fans and a St Etienne supporter were arrested in the aftermath of a UEFA Cup fixture on Wednesday during which another French fan was stabbed, police said Thursday.

The four Greeks aged between 22 and 43 were part of an Olympiakos throng throwing stones, bottles and other objects at St Etienne fans and police.

The 26-year-old Frenchman was arrested for lighting a flare during the game.

Another St Etienne fan was stabbed in the thigh in a clash that broke out ahead of the game which the visiting French team won 3-1.

Greek football is chronically plagued by violence that mostly surfaces during domestic matches, defying a decade of attempts by authorities to stamp out the problem.

Two years ago, five supporters of Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade football club were hospitalised with stab wounds in the northern city of Thessaloniki after an attack by Greek hooligans ahead of another UEFA Cup game.