02.05.2019 21:41 h

AEK Athens fans suggest Greek Cup final be played - in Venezuela!

While the country's football authorities debate where the Greek Cup final should be held and under which circumstances on May 11, the supporters' club of AEK Athens came up with their own suggestion on Thursday.

"Original 21 with a deep sense of responsibility has the solution: We propose that the final be a feast for Greek football and at the same time an 'anthem' for world peace. Therefore we suggest the Polideportivo Cachamay stadium in the city of Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela," a statement by the group said.

AEK faces current Greek Super League champs PAOK Thessaloniki in the final with fears that supporters of both clubs may once again clash as they did in the previous two years.

PAOK won both previous contests, 2-0 last year and 2-1 in 2017.

Each team were issued only 17,196 tickets last year at the 69,618-capacity stadium with many gaps to keep supporters separated for safety reasons after a season of high tension between PAOK and the Athens clubs.

The Greek government last year deployed 5,000 police officers in an attempt to prevent violence.

Last year when the two clubs met in a regular season match PAOK president Ivan Savvidis stormed onto the pitch with a holstered gun on his belt after becoming incensed over a refereeing decision.

As for this year's final, the Greek government is expected to announce by Monday that the match will be held without spectators in an effort to keep violence away in an election year so that there will be no political cost.

Officials from both AEK and PAOK disagree and want their supporters at the match as does the Greek federation.

Police officials have expressed fear that even if spectators are banned at the match, supporters may clash outside the stadium.

The federation wants the match to be played at the Athens Olympic Stadium and for VAR to be used for the first time at a Greek contest, but PAOK has turned down this venue saying it is the home grounds of AEK and not a neutral site.

"Nine days before the Greek Cup final and the state and police have not yet found a solution for the safe conduct of the match. We have no illusions and we are confident that the above-mentioned suggestion for Venezuela will be more easily accomplished than a match here without spectators," Original 21 said.