Hapoel supporters set off fireworks near AEK hotel during the night / News - Basketnews.com

At 3 in the morning, several Hapoel fans set off a series of fireworks, chanted, and more other noises in hopes of keeping AEK players awake, a practice that's more common in football.

Credit: Walla Sport Credit Walla Sport

Ahead of the highly anticipated Basketball Champions League (BCL) quarterfinals Game 3 between Hapoel Jerusalem and AEK Athens, the Israeli supporters decided to make the guests' life harder.

As reported by SDNA, several people showed up near the hotel where AEK players stay at around 3 in the morning and fired a series of fireworks, singing club songs and making various other noises.

The practice is more widespread among football fans in Europe as there were multiple cases of similar actions before the finals of the biggest tournaments in the continent.

AEK asked the authorities and the hotel itself to provide the footage but both parties refused, Christos Tsaltas from SDNA reports.

"We worked all season for the home advantage this evening but you never know how the full stands will affect us and the opponent," Hapoel's head coach Aleksandar Dzikic said before the match. "It gives a huge boost, and it can also pose an obstacle to us."

According to Tomer Givati from Israel Hayom, if Hapoel wins the series's third and final matchup, the BCL Final Four will be held in Jerusalem.

The series gained international notice when Greek fansstarted burning the Israeli flagand throwing various stuff at the Israeli supporters in Game 2. The leaguesanctioned AEK heavily, issuing a €50,000 fine and forcing the club to play all its games next season behind closed doors.

"This is an anti-Semitic attack against Jews and a very serious case of violence - and we demand that the attackers and the group be brought to justice," said The Minister of Culture and Sports of Israel Makhlouf Zohar.

Meanwhile, AEK released a fiery statement condemning the people who performed the acts of violence.

Other related stories to the AEK-Hapoel incidents:

Israeli sports minister Zohar on AEK: 'This is an anti-Semitic attack' AEK fans start burning Israeli flag, throwing stuff at Hapoel fans AEK-Hapoel incidents: 'Father had to hide his children in a bathroom' AEK slam the hooligans that harmed Hapoel: 'They are enemies of AEK' Hapoel Jerusalem release a statement regarding AEK fans' behavior Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.