Fourth suspect arrested after U19 football violence

Police on Thursday said they arrested a fourth suspect, aged 18, in connection with Saturday’s violent attack at the U19 championship Apoel-Pafos FC match in Kouklia, in which the Paphos team’s coach suffered head injuries.

Three more suspects, a 16-year-old boy and two 31-year-old men were also arrested in relation to the case, police said.

Investigations started following a violent attack at around 4.20pm on Saturday when around 50 fans of one of the teams, reportedly Apoel, entered the football pitch and attacked the 37-year-old coach of the Paphos team.

He was taken to hospital where he was treated for neck and head injuries before he was discharged.

Paphos FC and its Academy condemned the incident which they said was caused “by cowards and brainless people, who call themselves fans and friends of football.

“Violence has no place in our stadiums and especially in matches of young boys aged 17 and 18,” they said, adding the attackers used bottles, crowbars, chains and other assault items.

Police released the photos of five more suspects and called on people to help locate them by calling the Paphos CID at 26-806021, or the nearest police station or the 1460 Citizen hotline.