Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv are playing one of the derby matches in the fourth round of the EuroLeague in Athens at the OAKA Arena.
What stands out when it comes to matches between these renowned teams is the low attendance. Of course, the reasons are not related to sports. The Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Panathinaikos game at the OAKA Arena mobilized the Greek police, who deployed several vehicles and numerous officers to ensure the Israeli delegation’s safe stay.
Greek police implemented special security measures for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s arrival in Athens ahead of the EuroLeague game against Panathinaikos.
Last Wednesday, Maccabi played for the first time since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East. All Israeli national team players left the country last week and went to Cyprus, and in the days prior, they had been in Valencia for a game against the local team.
In Spain, extremely strict security measures were enforced for the safety of the Israeli delegation. For example, participants had to empty their pockets and backpacks and go through security checks to ensure they were not carrying weapons or dangerous items, except for flags or symbols of Israel and Palestine. In addition, the police deployed drones to monitor the area around La Fonteta.