Rival fans at a Champions League clash in Greece tonight were left battered and bloodied after violence erupted in the stands.
Clashes between opposing fans began inside the Olympic Stadium before the AEK Athens versus Ajax game kicked off on Tuesday evening.
Police in riot gear were called in to quell the violence but it continued as the group stage match got under way.
Dramatic pictures from the scene showed a huge fireball in the Ajax end. It’s unclear how the fire started.
Meanwhile, Ajax supporters were pictured bloodied and bruised as riot police swarmed in to disperse the clashes.
Athens fans were reported to have thrown plastic bottles and other objects into the away end.
The violence was so bad that Matthijs de Ligt, one of Ajax’s star players, pleaded with his own fans for calm before the game started.
No arrests or injuries were immediately reported.
Police had also clashed with Greek fans in parts of central Athens on Tuesday afternoon and Monday evening.
Rival Greek supporters were involved in the violence near the city's police headquarters. Traffic was blocked after youths hurled petrol bombs at rival supporters and police.
