Markarian to leave Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos FC coach Sergio Markarian is to quit the club again in response to protests from supporters angry at last weekend's crucial defeat by Olympiakos Pireaus FC.

Heavy defeat
The club's ambitions of winning the Greek title were dented last Sunday after the 3-0 loss at the hands of rivals Olympiakos. Both teams are now level at the top on 67 points, but Olympiakos are in the driving seat with one match to play, by virtue of their head-to-head record.

Ugly scenes
This led to angry protests at the club's training ground yesterday, although Markarian said it was earlier disturbances during a league match with FC Aris Thessaloniki which made up his mind to leave. "It is a decision that I took long ago, long before the match against Olympiakos," he said. Markarian only returned to the club in October, just five months after he resigned by citing the need for "time off to collect my thoughts and relax".

Answers wanted
On Tuesday, more than 400 people turned up to vent their frustration on the staff and players at the training facilities in Peania on the outskirts of Athens. As the players locked themselves in the changing rooms, Markarian and 38-year-old fans' favourite Krzystof Warzycha tried to reason with the crowd but to no avail.

Three injured
Riot police were called in and used tear gas to disperse the supporters. There were 17 arrests, while one journalist, one photographer and three policemen were slightly injured. As well as Markarian, several players have expressed a wish to leave the club, including Warzycha. Club president Angelos Filippidis said: "Whoever wants to leave Panathinaikos may do so. We won't keep anyone against his will."