The statements by both sides that incited hatred and the incidents during and after the game will likely be referred to in the future as a key point, and not just for this soccer championship.
The fan action that followed the derby offers an insight as to what could happen in the next few weeks or years.
Police made 17 arrests (all prior to the match), but a few hours after the match an Olympiakos fan was stabbed on his way home at the metro station of Monastiraki.
In the early hours of Sunday one of the assistant referees of the match suffered an attack by Panathinaikos fans upon his return to his native Corfu.
Hundreds of Panathinaikos fans were reported on Sunday to rally at the broadcasting center of ERT, the state television that aired the game and was seen to be favoring Olympiakos. The rally was to coincide for the highlights show on NET (Athlitiki Kyriaki).
Interestingly, some 500 fans received the Panathinaikos squad back at its training camp as winners after the game.
Official Panathinaikos had a more measured reaction, but is planning strong measures. Its acting president Dimitris Gontikas called for Olympiakos owner Vangelis Marinakis to resign from president of the Super League.
More importantly for the future of Panathinaikos, though, the club has called an extraordinary board meeting for Monday so as to assess the situation - a great opportunity for Panathinaikos shareholders to heal previous wounds and put their differences behind them. Already all major shareholders have expressed their desire to take part and unite against the "common enemy".
Rumors about Panathinaikos players quitting the national team were refuted.
There were some healthy reactions, though, first from Olympiakos manager Ernesto Valverde and then from the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias.
Valverde expressed his disappointment at what happened after the game, saying that it does not matter whether it is Olympiakos fans or other fans storming the pitch, as it cannot be tolerated anyway.
Papoulias stressed at Ioannina on Sunday his condemnation of all violent acts related to sports.
Late on Sunday Olympiakos skipper Vassilis Torosidis issued an apology for his behaviour during the game, saying that any rivalry he may have with his opponents is only during the 90 minutes of the match and he expects to be side by side with them in a few weeks' time for the national team's benefit.
Although the atmosphere in the week before the game at the Karaiskakis Stadium had been rather quiet, there had been signs that trouble was brewing.
A newspaper had revealed in midweek that Olympiakos fans had sneaked in 4,000 flares and bangers ahead of the derby, but the club refuted the claim, only to be left red-faced as the sheer number of flares lit before and during the game warrant an investigation by the league.
Kickoff delayed for a few minutes due to numerous flares lit and some of them thrown against Panathinaikos players such as goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas.
It remains to be seen how sports authorities (the league, the federation and the prosecutor) will react to the events during and after the derby.
by George Georgakopoulos
source: SPORTINGREECE
