Capacity: 7,616. Anticipated crowd for tomorrow's match: around 4,000. Introducing Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium
Theodoros Kolokotronis was a Greek general who commanded the Greek liberation army in their war of independence against the Ottoman Empire. Two hundred years after his death the Greeks immortalised his name at a number of venues and monuments, and tomorrow night Maccabi Tel Aviv will have the singular honour of visiting one of those venues: Theodoros Kolokotronis Football Stadium, home of Greek opponents Asteras Tripoli F.C.
As befits a town of 47,000 inhabitants, Tripoli's municipal football stadium is of modest proportions, with a seating capacity of 7,616. Built in 1979 and renovated in 2010, Theodoros Kolokotronis is not generally filled to capacity for Asteras' league games, with attendance between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators. But in the home team's most recent Europa League encounter, a surprise 3-1 triumph over Bundesliga stalwarts Mainz, 5,000 fans pitched up and for tomorrow night's encounter with Maccabi a higher than average crowd is anticipated, about 4,000 in all. Most of the spectators however will not be dyed-in-the-wool Asteras fans but simply local football devotees anxious to see a European tie. Nonetheless the top crowd ever recorded at the stadium, 6,150, was at a league match in 2011 against fellow Greek Superleague side Olympiacos.
Improvements to the stadium followed the local club's successes and in 2005 the eastern section containing 2,488 seats was built, as well as a club museum, management offices and a VIP lounge. After the club was promoted to Greece's top flight in 2007 the western section containing a further 1,447 seats and a press centre were added. The northern section was also renovated and a roof added while the southern section, where the visiting fans usually sit, was doubled in size.
There also exist large-scale future plans for the complex surrounding the stadium, including expansion to a 13,000 seat capacity, an additional three practise pitches, basketball and tennis courts and even a hotel for visitors to the complex. So far Maccabi Tel Aviv are concerned, they're simply hoping that their first visit will be a successful one and that they can tick it off as a signpost on their road to another successful European campaign.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmD2kLBx4r0&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
