Premier League club supporter stabbed following Europa League defeat
A Burnley fan who had travelled to Greece to watch his side's Europa League fixture against Olympiakos was reportedly stabbed in the leg. Around 900 fans who were in attendance saw Burnley emerge on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of the Europa League qualifying fixture at the George Karaiskakis Stadium.
The result though was overshadowed by ugly incidents off the pitch, which saw a Burnley fan being stabbed while 4 others suffered minor injuries.
The Premier League club have announced that they are working with the local police to investigate the incident and punish the perpetrators. The Clarets released a statement on their website which read: "Burnley Football Club has praised the behaviour of the travelling support who followed the Clarets to Athens. Just over 900 supporters were inside the away end of the George Karaiskakis Stadium for Burnley's Europa League tie at Olympiakos.
"The vast majority were once again impeccably behaved with the coaching operation to transport supporters to the ground put in place by the club again a great success, as it was in the previous round in Istanbul.
"However, five of our supporters were unfortunately injured - including a person who received a stab wound to the leg - and received medical attention at the stadium.
"Those injured all travelled independently to the stadium, outside the organised travel operation."
Burnley have their work cut out for them in the second leg after goals from Bouchalakis and Fortounis left them reeling in Greece. Ben Gibson too will miss the return leg after being sent off in the second half although a Chris Wood penalty does give them something to play for when they attempt to overturn the deficit at Turf Moor on the 31st of August.