A Greek court on Thursday jailed a man suspected of fatally stabbing a young football fan as an investigation into the crime continues.

The 23-year-old suspect was sentenced to four years and three months in prison after police found he had access to a flat containing knives, clubs, metal pipes, flares and other weapons used by hooligans, state agency ANA said.

The suspect, who was convicted of running a clandestine fan club and of illegal weapons possession, is also accused of fatally stabbing a 19-year-old fan of Thessaloniki club Aris FC on Tuesday.

Two of the teenager's friends were also injured in the pre-dawn attack.

Witnesses said the victims aged 18 to 20 were walking near the Aris FC stadium when two cars stopped, the occupants getting out and assaulting the trio.

The attackers reportedly were shouting abuse against Aris.

Police said that the victim was stabbed in the upper thigh and bled to death while the other two were treated for multiple injuries at a local hospital.

Thessaloniki is no stranger to clashes between fans of the city's two big clubs, Aris and PAOK.

In December PAOK were fined 193,500 euros by the Greek Super League and ordered to play their next four home matches behind closed doors after violence broke out during the cross-town derby with Aris.

Two fans from Bulgaria and Cyprus died in Thessaloniki traffic accidents during street violence in 2017 and 2020.

In 2007, a fan of Panathinaikos Athens died in an arranged hooligan battle involving around 300 Olympiakos and Panathinaikos supporters in Peania, east of Athens.