PAOK head coach Angelos Anastasiadis had made it clear that the first-leg win over AEK Athens in “Nikos Goumas” did not guarantee PAOK’s qualification to the 2003 Greek Cup final.

Before the second-leg encounter at Toumba Stadium, he called for the fans to attend the match and help the club, as gate income would cover outstanding payments to the players.

On Monday 5 May, during the presentation of the company stamp issued by PAOK FC, Anastasiadis underlined that the “Double-Headed Eagle” had a date with destiny in the following ten days. Several players had filed injunctions to confiscate the semi-final’s gate income so that they would be paid.

The coach of PAOK spoke about the recurring errors by the club’s administration from 2000 to 2003. He was quite graphic about it: “Had we brought our biggest enemy at PAOK, he would never have committed such crimes. It’s not about finding who is at fault, but rather mending the situation because PAOK are falling apart”, he said.

He was quick however to add a positive message: «PAOK can still exist provided we all wish it. I have lived in Athens and I know how PAOK are regarded there. One hears nothing but good things.«.

Despite the call to arms, no more than 8.363 paying customers attended the Toumba semi-final on Wednesday 7 May 2003, as PAOK looked to seal their qualification to the final. The sum collected for the players who had filed injunctions hardly amounted to 30.000 euros.

On the pitch however PAOK managed to secure qualification without having to go through an extra-time ordeal. Giannis Okkas’s equalizer in the 88th minute made it 1-1. Added to the 1-0 victory in the first leg, thanks to a goal by Giasemakis Giasoumi, PAOK advanced to their 16th Greek Cup final of their history.

PAOK’s line-up on that day: Atmatsidis, Koutsopoulos, Chasiotis, Kukiełka, Nastos (45′ Egomitis), Kafes (89′ Feutchine), Markos, Koutsis, Okkas, Georgiadis, Giasoumi (78′ Spasić).