Ethniki to play at OAKA after Karaiskakis rejects request
The Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) was hoping to stage two Greek national team matches in June at the Karaiskakis Stadium, but after its request was rejected, the organisation is now resigned to choosing the unpopular Olympic Stadium.
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Earlier this week, it was officially confirmed that the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion will be used for all senior Greek national team matches for the next four years, but due to required improvements to the arena which won’t be complete by June, the Ethniki Omada has to host Italy (June 8) and Armenia (June 11) at a different venue.
Initially, the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus was the EPO’s first choice, but the request to play at the arena in June has been declined. After the EPO decided to leave the Karaiskakis in late 2017, the organisation which runs the 32,000 capacity arena was left with bitter feelings, and as a result, it refused to allow the federation to use the stadium for June’s two home UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers. The amount of money which the EPO offered the Karaiskakis Stadium organisation hasn’t been stipulated.
According to reports in the media, the EPO has now taken the final decision to play at the OAKA in June, despite head coach Angelos Anastasiadis’ well-known desire to avoid that particular stadium at all costs. During the failed 2018 UEFA Nations League campaign, miserable attendances were witnessed at the OAKA in Marousi, and Anastasiadis was keen to never play at the arena again.
An official announcement is yet to be made by the EPO.
Greece will compete in Group J of UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying alongside Italy, Armenia, Liechtenstein, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland.
