Olympiacos's board issued a statement on September 15, 2026, addressing what it called days of turmoil among the Piraeus club's supporters, warning that internal division only feeds rivals and those who want to split the club's fan base with lies and fabricated stories.
The board said any fan who has become so disappointed that they can no longer bear to attend matches can immediately return their season ticket and receive a refund.
Mendilibar chants during OFI match
The statement followed an incident a few days earlier during Olympiacos's match against OFI Crete. While the Piraeus side was trailing on the scoreboard, part of the crowd at Karaiskakis Stadium repeatedly chanted the name of Jose Luis Mendilibar, a former Olympiacos head coach.
Mendilibar, a Spanish coach, led Olympiacos to the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2024. The club's statement did not name him directly but said that expressions of affection for people who had given their utmost to Olympiacos were understandable.
Call for unity ahead of Europa League opener
The board said Olympiacos was beginning its journey in this season's Europa League, in which the club is set to face Poland's Jagiellonia Bialystok, and that whatever disagreements some fans may have were acceptable, just as displays of affection for past figures were.
The statement said that for 102 years Olympiacos had learned to stay united and strong in difficult moments and to support the team to the fullest extent, adding that this was what needed to happen now in order to turn the page. Introversion, it said, feeds opponents and those who want to divide the club's support with lies and fabricated stories.
Season tickets can be refunded
The board said it was confident the whole stadium would act as a twelfth player when Olympiacos needed it, insisting that personal grievances or worries are set aside whenever the team needs its supporters.
It acknowledged, however, that any fan who had reached a level of frustration that made attending games unbearable could immediately return their season ticket for a refund, adding that another Olympiacos supporter would surely want to take their place. The club said it was certain everyone wanted to stand beside what it called the laurel-crowned youth, a reference to the ancient Greek ephebe figure on the club's crest.
Investment and structural changes
The statement said that over the past month the club had made corrective changes at every level, including significant investment, and had altered the team's structure. It pledged to do whatever was necessary for the team to win the championship and complete what it called a historic run, again in Europe.
Pointing to three decades of success
The board closed by listing what it described as Olympiacos's achievements over the last 30 years: a European trophy, a European youth title, 23 of the last 30 Greek championships, domestic cups and super cups, and continued participation among Europe's elite clubs. It said rivals could not dream of matching that record even over their next hundred lifetimes.
The statement ended by calling on all supporters to stand united and strong behind Olympiacos, known to fans as the Legend, on the way to trophies, triumphs and glory.
