Seven PAOK supporters killed in Romania road crash en route to Lyon match

Seven supporters of Greek football club PAOK were killed in a traffic accident in Romania while travelling to France for the club’s Europa League match against Olympique Lyonnais.

PAOK is based in Thessaloniki and is one of Greece’s most widely supported clubs, with a large following at home and abroad. Its supporters regularly travel across Europe to attend away fixtures.

According to Greek and international media reports, the supporters were travelling in a minibus that was involved in a serious collision in western Romania, near the Serbian border. The vehicle was reportedly carrying ten passengers. Three others were injured and taken to hospital, where they remain under treatment.

PAOK confirmed the deaths in an official statement.

“I am devastated by the unjust loss of young people, supporters of our beloved team, who travelled to stand by PAOK,” the statement said. “These young people, the children of PAOK, are our children. They are members of one big family. We leave no one alone.”

The club said its thoughts were with the families of those killed and with the injured supporters, adding that officials had been sent to Romania and that costs related to the victims and the injured would be covered by PAOK.

PAOK also said it had requested the postponement of the Europa League match in Lyon, but that UEFA decided the fixture would go ahead as scheduled. Olympique Lyonnais said a moment of remembrance would be held before kick-off.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed condolences to the families and said Greek authorities were in contact with Romania to provide consular support.

The Europa League match will be played under the shadow of the accident, with the focus firmly on the lives lost rather than the result.