Inside Panathinaikos’ stadium now used by minnows with 2,500 fans – as Greek side host Chelsea in rented ground

CHELSEA are visiting Panathinaikos successful the League Phase of the Conference League contiguous astatine Athens Olympic Stadium.

The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA) has been utilized connected and disconnected by PAO ever since 2005 arsenic they swap betwixt Greece's largest stadium and their historical crushed of Apostolos Nikolaidis.

The Greek giants competed astatine their accepted location - besides known simply arsenic Leoforos due to the fact that of its presumption astatine Alexandra's Avenue successful the centre of the superior - past season.

However, Diego Alonso's broadside returned to OAKA for this word aft erstwhile issues with the stadium's extortion were dealt with to the restitution of Uefa.

This comes aft the ground, named aft celebrated 1896 Olympic leader Spiros Louis, had to adjacent owed to concerns implicit the stableness of its alloy dome past year.

Greek property claimed authorities mislaid a manual with elaborate instructions regarding the dome's attraction near down by designer Santiago Calatrava - who built the landmark successful 2004.

However, OAKA has reopened this play and the Blues volition beryllium playing successful the aforesaid venue that hosted the 2004 Olympics arsenic good arsenic the Champions League last successful 1983, 1994 and 2007.

The Athens stadium holds a capableness of 70,000, which makes it larger than each Premier League crushed barroom Manchester United's Old Trafford and Wembley.

The nine are paying rent to the Greek state, which is worthy successful the scope of €300,000 (£250,000).

PAO person experienced immense occurrence astatine OAKA successful the past having beaten the likes of Juventus, Roma and Feyenoord - that was besides wherever they hosted Ajax successful the 1995-96 Champions League semi-finals.

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But it doesn't comparison to the glory Panathinaikos person tasted astatine Leoforos arsenic that is wherever they played successful the 1970-71 campaign.

That was erstwhile Ferenc Puskas' broadside made it to the European Cup last - eliminating Everton successful the quarter-finals on the mode - astatine Wembley wherever they were beaten by Johan Cruyff's Ajax.

Panathinaikos aboriginal enjoyed adjacent much European occurrence astatine Leoforos arsenic they made it to the Champions League quarter-finals successful the 2001-02 run by beating the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona.

However, this play the crushed is being utilized by Superleague opponents Kallithea, who are renting it retired and are tasked with the venue's maintenance.

The Greek nine needed to conscionable the indispensable apical formation requirements to big games, specified arsenic installing CCTV, but that would person outgo them astir €500,000 (£416,000).

And truthful a determination was made to determination to a stadium that already has the indispensable gear, portion Panathinaikos marque a nett without having to interest astir attraction portion playing successful Marousi.

Leoforos holds a capableness of 16,620, which is acold larger than the mean 2.454 attendance complaint Kallithea are presently signaling this season.

Panathinaikos are presently moving connected gathering their ain stadium astatine Votanikos - a task that has been successful the works successful the past 2 decades.

Moving to a caller stadium

However, Greek reports suggest the authorities of the creation ground, which is expected to clasp a capableness of implicit 40,000, volition beryllium completed by Christmas of 2026 oregon New Year's Day of 2027.

Nevertheless, arsenic per the existent complaint of construction, the stadium could unfastened its doors successful clip for the 2027-28 season.

OAKA is expected to beryllium astatine afloat capableness contiguous owed to Chelsea's visit, which volition spot manager Enzo Maresca missing cardinal players.

Levi Colwill, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Jackson are near out.

And of people Marcus Bettinelli, Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Romeo Lavia arsenic good arsenic prima antheral Cole Palmer were omitted from the Conference League list.

Tonight volition beryllium an affectional lucifer arsenic it marks Panathinaikos' archetypal location crippled since prima antheral George Baldock's tragic death 2 weeks ago, truthful a bid of tributes person been organised.

Both teams volition beryllium wearing achromatic armbands portion a minute's soundlessness volition beryllium held successful Sheffield United fable Baldock's memory.

And Oaka has been filled with posters, which read: " There's a starman is waiting successful the sky".