Sursa poza: ExpressPress

Ah, Europa League, where the ball isn’t the only thing bouncing around! In the amphitheater of football, the dramatics weren't limited to the PAOK Salonic and Maccabi Tel Aviv showdown—the plot extended well beyond the field with a protest that could rival any full-time drama series.

Rumor has it that the streets of Salonic were swarming not just with passionate fans but also with a crowd of protesters, keen on giving Israel a piece of their mind. It seems the only thing missing was a popcorn vendor!

Sources from the scene—mostly Dobrin the postman, who has nothing better to do than showing up everywhere—reported on the heightened security measures that were tighter than Aunt Sanda's waistline after Christmas dinner. The streets were buzzing with anticipation, tension, and the occasional "olé" from someone who confused the protest with a fiesta.

"Never seen such a hullabaloo over a football match," claimed Ionel Pe Retea, our resident philosopher who spends more time in the bar than in his own home. "Back in my day, the only argument on game day was whether we had enough cold beers."

While players ran up and down the field, the real game seemed to be taking place outside the stadium, where banners were waved with such enthusiasm that even the seagulls sat down to watch. Our bet is that they were waiting for halftime snacks to fall from the heavens.

With the kickoff to the Europa League, it's clear that the season isn't just promising thrilling matches but also drama that could fuel every gossip session from here to next winter. Whether the final score of PAOK vs. Maccabi was overshadowed by the extracurricular activities is up for debate. But one thing's for sure: Thursday nights just got a lot more entertaining.

Stay tuned, folks—it seems this saga is shaping up to be longer than cousin Mia's "brief" updates from her Bucharest escapades!