“I will never forget what I experienced even though we lost the Cup – All the AEK players shook my hand”

It is, perhaps, the most shocking moment-image of the football season in Greece.

Last night (24/05), in Panthessaliko, the little fan of PAOK, Giannakis Papastephanakis, sent the strongest message of the finale. AEK had just won the Novibet Greek Cup and its players they were celebrating on the pitch their new success. So, at that moment, little Giannis, together with his father, Kostis Papastephanakis, had approached the losers’ bench, so that Giannakis could meet his idols up close. A difficult moment if nothing else for the PAOK players and him Razvan Lucescuwith the little one, however, to be the happiest man in the worldeven if his favorite team lost the trophy.

The best image, however, came after the awarding of the Cup to “Union”. The players took a picture with the little PAOK fan, who has mobility problems, giving one away awesome, unforgettable moment! They even gave him the cup to keep, something, of course, that Giannakis will remember throughout his life.

Yiannis Papastephanakis spoke to FOCUS 103.6 FM about how he was at the center of the celebrations together with the AEK players and he shared his shocking experiences:

“The president of EPO, Takis Baltakos, arranged for us to enter the pitch after the match ended and thus my big dream came true to meet the PAOK players and especially Yiannis Constantelias, who is my favorite and I am currently wearing the his jersey. I know that for everyone it was a difficult moment after a lost title, but for me it was something special. None of them bothered me to take a picture and exchange a few words.

We had a basketball event organized by the Municipality of Delphi together with the Region of Central Greece and I had the courage to talk to the Regional Governor, who was there, and asked him for invitations to the Cup final. Straight after a few hours, he called my family and said that I will be able to be at the stadium.

I couldn’t wait to get to the stadium. I was thinking that I would be one of the few lucky ones to watch the game from up close and I longed for the moment when the match would start».

About how he found himself at the center of the celebrations together with the AEK players he said: “I went to the AEK players with a purpose. To request a jersey for my brother, who is AEK. I wanted to give him a present because he couldn’t be on the pitch and he asked me to bring him Rota’s shirt. Finally, I got two jerseys, while all the AEK players came to my place and shook my hand. It was one of the best moments of my life.

My father and I left the field yesterday as winners, because before the start of the match we lifted the Cup. Football is a celebration and I hope that the phenomena of violence will disappear. I will never forget what I experienced yesterday in Panthessalikos».

Listen here to what he said.