Two more arrests after Paphos coach injured during U19 football violence

Police on Wednesday said they arrested two more suspects in relation to Saturday’s violent attack at the U19 championship Apoel-Pafos FC match in Kouklia, in which the Paphos team’s coach suffered head injuries.

The arrests concern two men, a 30-year-old Nicosia resident and a 28-year-old from Paphos who were found on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The new arrests raise the number of detainees for the case to seven.

Earlier on Tuesday, a 27-year-old Nicosia resident was also arrested in relation to the case.

Among the four other suspects, police arrested two boys, aged 16 and 18.

One of the people arrested was released without being charged, 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.