Fight&Clashes: AEL-APOEL abandoned in Cyprus because of riots, it will be replayed again

It should have been the decisive match of 2013/14 Cypriot First Division, that should have decided the winner of the Championship, but the game between AEL Limassol (on the top of the table) and APOEL Nicosia (second 3 points behind, both of them will play in 2014/15 Champions League Preliminary Rounds anyway) was abandoned 6 minutes into the Second Half because of riots in the stands.

There’s one of the biggest rivalry in Cypriot football between AEL‘s and APOEL‘s fans, and 500 policemen were fielded inside and outside the Stadium, but they couldn’t prevent disorders among AEL fans and the fact that one of them launched an emergency flare to APOEL’s bench and hit the defender Kakà and the social doctor: after this episode the Referee abandoned the match.

Cyprus Football Association Judiciary Committee had to take a very difficult decison and had three different options in front of them:
- awarding a 0-3 win to APOEL, so awarding the Title as well
- restarting the match from 51′
- replaying the match from the beginning.

After a vote, Cyprus FA decided to replay the match on Sathurday 31st from the beginning at a neutral venue with no attendance allowed.
APOEL fans weren’t too happy about this decision, because they would have preferred a 0-3 win, so last Tuesday, togheter with the Club President and board members, marched peacefully to Cyprus FA’s headquarters to protest against the verdict.
Anyway APOEL FC appealed the decision, and an appeal board met on Wednesday, but later resigned, accusing both teams of publicly attacking and humiliating them “in order to pressure members into rendering a favourable decision”,and didn’t take any decision.
So the match should be played on Sathurday at 18 (local time), but the appeal board could meet again few days after the match and declare APOEL as winner.
If AEL had to win, the biggest problem would be that on Monday Cyprus FA has to send UEFA the name of the Champion, that will play UEFA Champions Third Preliminary Round (Champions route), and the name of the runner-up, that will play UEFA Champions Third Preliminary Round (placed teams route), and these name can’t be changed.
If the appeal board had to award APOEL the win, AEL would be anyway considered the Champion of Cyprus in Champions League draw, and APOEL the runner-up.
This would be a weird situation !