Olympiacos fumes after ban on fans’ trip to Marseille’s Vélodrome

Olympiacos has hit out after an order banning its fans from travelling to the Vélodrome ahead of its Europa League clash with Marseille on Thursday at 21:00. In a statement, the Greek side says the prefectural decree leaves supporters without access not only to the stadium but also to central areas of Marseille.

The club claims there was no indication of such a measure despite work with Marseille, UEFA and local police over previous weeks. It adds that it learned of the plan only informally the day before, then sent protests to UEFA and the French club—without success. “Les démarches de l’Olympiakos et de l’UEFA ont été ignorées,” the statement says.

Olympiacos asks UEFA to consider compensation for the affected supporters and raises concerns about the safety of those already in the city or who might still travel despite the ban. As a comparison, it points to December 2023, when French authorities blocked Spanish fans for a Lens–Sevilla Champions League game and the measure was suspended the day of the match after a legal appeal.