The Europa League meeting between Olympique Lyonnais and PAOK Salonika has already taken a tragic turn. Seven supporters of the Greek football club were killed and three injured on Tuesday in the collision between their minibus and a truck in Romania, local police and Greek authorities said.
The minibus carrying ten men was traveling from Greece to France when it collided with the heavy goods vehicle in Timis county, western Romania, local police said. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared himself “deeply shocked” upon learning of “the tragic accident in Romania” which caused the death of “seven young compatriots”.
A tribute during OL-PAOK
He expressed on Facebook his “deepest condolences to the loved ones of the victims and to the PAOK family”. Greek supporters were on their way to Lyon, where PAOK Salonika must face Olympique Lyonnais in the Europa League on Thursday. The driver of the minibus, aged 29, “crossed the center line and hit the truck head-on,” Timis police told the press.
The Greek club published a press release on its website, while the flags around the PAOK compound, the Toumba stadium, are at half mast. “An unspeakable tragedy knocked on our door today. I am devastated by the unjust loss of young people, supporters of our beloved team, who came to support our PAOK,” lamented the team’s president, Ivan Savvidis.
[2/2] Mohamed Faleh, the ax killer
OL also reacted. “A tribute will be paid during the OL – PAOK match on January 29 at Groupama Stadium,” the Rhone club announced on X, which presented “its sincere condolences to PAOK following the tragic disappearance of several of its supporters.”
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