Vassilis Spanoulis arrives in Thessaloniki to a hero's welcome from over 5,000 Aris fans

Hero's welcome at Makedonia Airport

More than 5,000 Aris Betsson supporters turned the arrivals area of Makedonia Airport into a cauldron of yellow smoke and noise on Sunday evening to greet new head coach Vassilis Spanoulis. Fans began arriving from 18:00, two hours before the scheduled touchdown, and erupted as the coach emerged from the terminal’s customs exit instead of the main hall. Chants, songs and dozens of flares created an atmosphere more akin to a packed arena than an airport. Spanoulis, accompanied by former players Zisis and Tapoutos, walked through the crowd before boarding a car, visibly moved by the reception.

Spanoulis' first words

“This fantastic welcome is not just for me, it is the beginning of the Aris vision.”

The statement, widely quoted by Greek outlets, links the emotional greeting to the club’s wider ambitions and signals the coach’s intention to build on the fan energy as he takes charge of the storied franchise.

Official unveiling set for Monday

The formal presentation of Spanoulis as head coach will take place on Monday at 12:00 local time at the Nick Galis Hall, the club’s home arena. Club investor Siao, who is spearheading an effort to rewrite the modern history of Aris, is also expected to attend the media event. The Monday conference is set to outline the coaching staff and the competitive targets for the coming season.

A new chapter under Siao

The arrival of Spanoulis marks the first major coaching appointment under Siao’s ownership, which has promised a comprehensive overhaul of the basketball department. Combining a legend of the Greek game with a revamped front office signals the club’s intent to climb back to the top tier of Greek basketball after several lean years. Whether the fervour at the airport translates into on-court results will depend on the roster moves that follow.