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Greek Super League Preview: Round 8
As always, there should be no shortage of drama and talking-points during Round 8 of the Greek Super League this weekend, with some local rivalries and a few managerial positions potentially on the line…
Oct 31, 2008 10:08:00 AM
Levadiakos vs Panserraikos
Momcilo Vukotic's Levadiakos will be looking to bounce back after a relatively heavy loss away against PAOK last weekend, as they host a Panserraikos side who suffered a contrastingly narrow defeat in northern Greece against Xanthi.
It has been an otherwise strong start to the season for Levadiakos, who will no doubt be expecting to consolidate on the eight points they have already accumulated.
Panserraikos' only two wins this season have come away from home, with their last victory against then-struggling Thrasyvoulos on October 4.
If Giannis Papakostas' Panserraikos are to avoid relegation upon their return to the Greek Super League, these are the sorts of matches from which they will need to get a positive result – a win will propel them above the Greens, who are enjoying their second consecutive season in the Greek Super League.
There should be an interesting contrast in styles at the Levadias Stadium, with Vukotic's organized side having conceded only eight goals this season whilst having scored only four.
Panserraikos, meanwhile, have scored six but conceded eleven in an entertaining return to the Super League after a sixteen year-absence from Greece's top-flight.
Aris vs Larissa
One of the matches of the round sees Greek Cup holders Larissa travel to Thessaloniki to face a resurgent Aris, who last week handed league leaders Olympiakos their first loss of the season.
The latter had endured a difficult start to the Greek Super League season, with manager Enrique Hernandez needing to deal with a variety of on and off-pitch difficulties as his side went on a three-match losing streak after an opening-day win over Levadiakos.
The God Of War gave themselves a massive boost as they stunned the defending champions at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium on Sunday, perhaps a just reward for the attractive football that Hernandez has encouraged this season.
The form of Spanish midfielder Javito will worry Marinos Ouzounidis, whose Larissa team saw any confidence gained from 1-1 draw away against AEK shattered as they suffered a 2-1 loss at home to lowly Panthrakikos last round.
It was an opportunity missed by the Vyssini, who have made an otherwise solid start to the season, whilst also progressing through to the last 16 of the Greek Cup after beating third-division outfit Panaitolikos in mid-week.
Coming away from the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium with a positive result will be an extremely difficult task, perhaps even more daunting than their trip to the OAKA two weeks ago.
Enrique Hernandez's attacking brand of football appears to be paying off and he now has the luxury of choosing from a virtually injury-free squad who are beginning to gel nicely.
The visitors' hopes of success will likely rest on the shoulders of Argentine duo Marcelo Sarmiento and Facundo Parra, both of whom have been in fine domestic form this season having scored three and four goals respectively.
Panionios vs Panathinaikos
Undoubtedly the clash of the round, with Panionios' new-found Uruguayan stars looking to inflict more misery on Panathinaikos manager Henk Ten Cate.
Despite having secured Champions League football for his side this season, the Dutchman is already finding himself under pressure in a notoriously volatile managerial position, thanks to a poor European campaign and domestic inconsistency.
Sitting last in their Champions League group after a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen – a result that might just have ruled out any chance of progress into the knockout stages – the Trifili had a disastrous few days in the Greek Super League that saw them fail to win either of their two home matches.
On Sunday, they were fortunate to draw 2-2 with a struggling Iraklis side in Athens, before suffering a shock 3-2 loss to Ergotelis on Wednesday.
Contrastingly, Ewald Lienen's Panionios are a team reborn following consecutive victories over Aris and Ergotelis – they thumped the latter 5-2 at the Pankritiko over the weekend.
It is no coincidence that the sudden resurgence of the Kyanerythri has coincided with the introduction of Alvaro Recoba and his international teammate Fabian Estoyanoff to the Greek domestic scene, with the pair immediately inspiring a their new side.
Their influence on Lampros Choutos has been particularly noticeable, with the former Inter Milan striker suddenly overcoming his early season slump to score a twice in his side's win in Crete.
A former teammate of Recoba's at Inter, Choutos now threatens to form a devastating attacking trio with the two Uruguayans, who all appear to have a clear understanding on the pitch; Estoyanoff helped to set-up no less than four goals on Sunday, all of which were finished by either Recoba or Choutos.
And with Ghanaian midfielder Bennard Kumordzi in superb form with three goals already this season, Ewald Lienen's team are perfectly poised for the clash at the Nea Smyrni on Saturday.
OFI Crete vs Skoda Xanthi
Two sides with completely contrasting fortunes will kick off Sunday’s Greek Super League action, as high-flying Skoda Xanthi travel to Crete.
The northerners have been the epitome of organization this season, sitting in third place, two points behind league leaders Olympiakos. Their discipline is reflected by the fact that they have only scored five goals this season but have picked up four wins, conceding only two goals – against Olympiakos earlier in the season and during their 2-1 victory over Panserraikos last week.
Ironically, the Queen of Thrace went through a chaotic pre-season, with a manager hired and fired within the same summer.
It the sort of scenario which pales in comparison to the administrative and football uncertainty that has shrouded one of Crete’s biggest clubs, with struggling OFI surrounded by rumours of a change in leadership.
Their struggles on the pitch have fueled the fire of outraged fans who are disillusioned by what they perceive to be an outdated boardroom, with manager Frantisek Straka earning only a temporary reprieve with a 2-2 draw in Tripolis last round.
He will be sweating on the fitness of Dame N’Doye, whose two goals perhaps saved his job on the weekend and who has apparently resumed full training. The on-loan Panathinaikos man has scored five of his side’s eight goals this season and is joint top-scorer of the league along with Olympiakos’ Luciano Galletti.
Whilst goal-scoring isn’t the problem, defending certainly is for the Omilos; they have conceded 13 goals this season, the worst record in the league. They also allowed Thrasyvoulos to get their first goals of the season as the Super League new-boys embarrassed Straka’s men in Crete with a 3-1 victory in Round 6.
Another home loss could spell the end of the Czech’s reign and will only further frustrate a passionate fan-base…
Panthrakikos vs Thrasyvoulos
A relegation six-pointer between two of this season’s promoted sides, made all the more intriguing by the recent form shown by both teams.
Last round, Panthrakikos stunned in-form Larissa, grabbing a 2-1 win at the Alkazar thanks to a sharp double by Abdul Diallo, before the Komotini-based outfit their place in the Last 16 of the Greek Cup with an extra-time win over Gamma Ethniki side Zakynthos in mid-week.
Emilio Farrera’s side have proven themselves to be particularly stubborn opposition this season and are three points ahead of their next opponents, who until two weeks ago, were without a point or a goal to their name.
It was then that a Jozef Kožlej inspired the men from Fyli to a 3-1 victory, easing the pressure on manager Sakis Tsiolis.
The result was followed up by an even more spectacular performance over the weekend, when they fought their way to a 3-3 draw with AEK Athens – after being down 3-0 at half-time.
Recent signs of life and a willingness to fight from both sides suggest that this could be an absorbing encounter…
AEK Athens vs Asteras Tripolis
Anything but a victory for his side against Carlos Carvalhal’s Tripolis and AEK Athens manger Giorgios Donis could find himself heading for the exit door at the OAKA Spiros Louis.
The former Larissa manager saw his side collapse in Fyli on Sunday, as they threw away a 3-0 half-time lead to allow struggling Thrasyvoulos to grab a point, only a week after the Kitrinomavri conceded a stoppage-time equalizer at home to Larissa.
Had Sarmiento’s deflected striker not wrong-footed Sebastian Saja in Athens and had Donis’ side had enough composure to see off Thrasyvoulos over the weekend, they would have been sitting in equal-third place, with 14 points, just two point Olympiakos. Instead, they lie 8th.
Such are the fine margins that determine results at the highest level of the game, the sort of margins that Donis will need to fall in his favour quickly if he is to survive the season with his new club.
Just yesterday, Tripolis beat Beta Ethiniki outfit Apollon Kalmarias to progress past the 5th Round of the Greek Cup, though they will have considered their 2-2 draw at home to OFI on Saturday as points dropped.
Star Argentine midfielder Horacio Ramon Cardozo will have to be at his influential best if the men from the Peleponnese are to avoid defeat in Athens…
Iraklis vs PAOK
Iraklis are another of the early-season stragglers who have experienced something of a recent resurgence, with consecutive draws against an in-form Ergotelis and then away at Panathinaikos – where they came within seconds of victory.
Angel Pedraza’s men are equal-last, having only scored four goals this season – one of either Michalis Konstantinou or Anestis Agritis will need to find goal-scoring form if the fortunes of the Gireos are to be reversed.
A Thessaloniki derby might just be the place to start, as PAOK prepare to grace the Kaftanzoglio with their presence.
Fernando Santos’ men are undefeated this season, just one point behind league leaders Olympiakos and also into the last 16 of the Greek Cup. Zlatan Muslimovic and Ibrahim Bakayoko have both shown fine goal-scoring form of late, with the former so far fulfilling the hype that surrounded his summer arrival from Atalanta.
The one conspicuous weakness of the Dikefalos tou Vorra is between their own posts, with Konstantinos Chalkias likely to miss the match on Sunday through injury.
In truth, the Greece international has something of a reputation for being vulnerable to some rather embarrassing gaffes, the last of which arrived last weak against Levadiakos – luckily, his side were leading 3-0 at the time.
His absence will allow 22 year-old Panagiotis Glikos a rare Greek Super League start in one his side’s biggest games of the season so far this season.
Olympiakos vs Ergotelis
The Erythrolefki came perilously close to a shock Greek Cup exit over third-division side Diagoras on Wednesday evening and will be looking to ease the pain of their UEFA Cup loss to Galatasaray and subsequent Super League defeat by Aris, when they host an Ergotelis side who will be looking for their second Athenian victim within the space of a few days.
Nikos Karageorgiou’s men stunned Panathinaikos on the same evening that Olympiakos struggled to overcome their Gamma Ethniki opposition and might fancy their chances against Ernesto Valverde’s out-of-form and injury-hit side.
Much attention will be payed to 20 year-old Ergotelis midfielder Vasilis Koutsianikoulis, whose inspired the Canaries to their mid-week victory over Henk Ten Cate’s men.
Chris Paraskevas
Momcilo Vukotic's Levadiakos will be looking to bounce back after a relatively heavy loss away against PAOK last weekend, as they host a Panserraikos side who suffered a contrastingly narrow defeat in northern Greece against Xanthi.
It has been an otherwise strong start to the season for Levadiakos, who will no doubt be expecting to consolidate on the eight points they have already accumulated.
Panserraikos' only two wins this season have come away from home, with their last victory against then-struggling Thrasyvoulos on October 4.
If Giannis Papakostas' Panserraikos are to avoid relegation upon their return to the Greek Super League, these are the sorts of matches from which they will need to get a positive result – a win will propel them above the Greens, who are enjoying their second consecutive season in the Greek Super League.
There should be an interesting contrast in styles at the Levadias Stadium, with Vukotic's organized side having conceded only eight goals this season whilst having scored only four.
Panserraikos, meanwhile, have scored six but conceded eleven in an entertaining return to the Super League after a sixteen year-absence from Greece's top-flight.
Aris vs Larissa
One of the matches of the round sees Greek Cup holders Larissa travel to Thessaloniki to face a resurgent Aris, who last week handed league leaders Olympiakos their first loss of the season.
The latter had endured a difficult start to the Greek Super League season, with manager Enrique Hernandez needing to deal with a variety of on and off-pitch difficulties as his side went on a three-match losing streak after an opening-day win over Levadiakos.
The God Of War gave themselves a massive boost as they stunned the defending champions at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium on Sunday, perhaps a just reward for the attractive football that Hernandez has encouraged this season.
The form of Spanish midfielder Javito will worry Marinos Ouzounidis, whose Larissa team saw any confidence gained from 1-1 draw away against AEK shattered as they suffered a 2-1 loss at home to lowly Panthrakikos last round.
It was an opportunity missed by the Vyssini, who have made an otherwise solid start to the season, whilst also progressing through to the last 16 of the Greek Cup after beating third-division outfit Panaitolikos in mid-week.
Coming away from the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium with a positive result will be an extremely difficult task, perhaps even more daunting than their trip to the OAKA two weeks ago.
Enrique Hernandez's attacking brand of football appears to be paying off and he now has the luxury of choosing from a virtually injury-free squad who are beginning to gel nicely.
The visitors' hopes of success will likely rest on the shoulders of Argentine duo Marcelo Sarmiento and Facundo Parra, both of whom have been in fine domestic form this season having scored three and four goals respectively.
Panionios vs Panathinaikos
Undoubtedly the clash of the round, with Panionios' new-found Uruguayan stars looking to inflict more misery on Panathinaikos manager Henk Ten Cate.
Despite having secured Champions League football for his side this season, the Dutchman is already finding himself under pressure in a notoriously volatile managerial position, thanks to a poor European campaign and domestic inconsistency.
Sitting last in their Champions League group after a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen – a result that might just have ruled out any chance of progress into the knockout stages – the Trifili had a disastrous few days in the Greek Super League that saw them fail to win either of their two home matches.
On Sunday, they were fortunate to draw 2-2 with a struggling Iraklis side in Athens, before suffering a shock 3-2 loss to Ergotelis on Wednesday.
Contrastingly, Ewald Lienen's Panionios are a team reborn following consecutive victories over Aris and Ergotelis – they thumped the latter 5-2 at the Pankritiko over the weekend.
It is no coincidence that the sudden resurgence of the Kyanerythri has coincided with the introduction of Alvaro Recoba and his international teammate Fabian Estoyanoff to the Greek domestic scene, with the pair immediately inspiring a their new side.
Their influence on Lampros Choutos has been particularly noticeable, with the former Inter Milan striker suddenly overcoming his early season slump to score a twice in his side's win in Crete.
A former teammate of Recoba's at Inter, Choutos now threatens to form a devastating attacking trio with the two Uruguayans, who all appear to have a clear understanding on the pitch; Estoyanoff helped to set-up no less than four goals on Sunday, all of which were finished by either Recoba or Choutos.
And with Ghanaian midfielder Bennard Kumordzi in superb form with three goals already this season, Ewald Lienen's team are perfectly poised for the clash at the Nea Smyrni on Saturday.
OFI Crete vs Skoda Xanthi
Two sides with completely contrasting fortunes will kick off Sunday’s Greek Super League action, as high-flying Skoda Xanthi travel to Crete.
The northerners have been the epitome of organization this season, sitting in third place, two points behind league leaders Olympiakos. Their discipline is reflected by the fact that they have only scored five goals this season but have picked up four wins, conceding only two goals – against Olympiakos earlier in the season and during their 2-1 victory over Panserraikos last week.
Ironically, the Queen of Thrace went through a chaotic pre-season, with a manager hired and fired within the same summer.
It the sort of scenario which pales in comparison to the administrative and football uncertainty that has shrouded one of Crete’s biggest clubs, with struggling OFI surrounded by rumours of a change in leadership.
Their struggles on the pitch have fueled the fire of outraged fans who are disillusioned by what they perceive to be an outdated boardroom, with manager Frantisek Straka earning only a temporary reprieve with a 2-2 draw in Tripolis last round.
He will be sweating on the fitness of Dame N’Doye, whose two goals perhaps saved his job on the weekend and who has apparently resumed full training. The on-loan Panathinaikos man has scored five of his side’s eight goals this season and is joint top-scorer of the league along with Olympiakos’ Luciano Galletti.
Whilst goal-scoring isn’t the problem, defending certainly is for the Omilos; they have conceded 13 goals this season, the worst record in the league. They also allowed Thrasyvoulos to get their first goals of the season as the Super League new-boys embarrassed Straka’s men in Crete with a 3-1 victory in Round 6.
Another home loss could spell the end of the Czech’s reign and will only further frustrate a passionate fan-base…
Panthrakikos vs Thrasyvoulos
A relegation six-pointer between two of this season’s promoted sides, made all the more intriguing by the recent form shown by both teams.
Last round, Panthrakikos stunned in-form Larissa, grabbing a 2-1 win at the Alkazar thanks to a sharp double by Abdul Diallo, before the Komotini-based outfit their place in the Last 16 of the Greek Cup with an extra-time win over Gamma Ethniki side Zakynthos in mid-week.
Emilio Farrera’s side have proven themselves to be particularly stubborn opposition this season and are three points ahead of their next opponents, who until two weeks ago, were without a point or a goal to their name.
It was then that a Jozef Kožlej inspired the men from Fyli to a 3-1 victory, easing the pressure on manager Sakis Tsiolis.
The result was followed up by an even more spectacular performance over the weekend, when they fought their way to a 3-3 draw with AEK Athens – after being down 3-0 at half-time.
Recent signs of life and a willingness to fight from both sides suggest that this could be an absorbing encounter…
AEK Athens vs Asteras Tripolis
Anything but a victory for his side against Carlos Carvalhal’s Tripolis and AEK Athens manger Giorgios Donis could find himself heading for the exit door at the OAKA Spiros Louis.
The former Larissa manager saw his side collapse in Fyli on Sunday, as they threw away a 3-0 half-time lead to allow struggling Thrasyvoulos to grab a point, only a week after the Kitrinomavri conceded a stoppage-time equalizer at home to Larissa.
Had Sarmiento’s deflected striker not wrong-footed Sebastian Saja in Athens and had Donis’ side had enough composure to see off Thrasyvoulos over the weekend, they would have been sitting in equal-third place, with 14 points, just two point Olympiakos. Instead, they lie 8th.
Such are the fine margins that determine results at the highest level of the game, the sort of margins that Donis will need to fall in his favour quickly if he is to survive the season with his new club.
Just yesterday, Tripolis beat Beta Ethiniki outfit Apollon Kalmarias to progress past the 5th Round of the Greek Cup, though they will have considered their 2-2 draw at home to OFI on Saturday as points dropped.
Star Argentine midfielder Horacio Ramon Cardozo will have to be at his influential best if the men from the Peleponnese are to avoid defeat in Athens…
Iraklis vs PAOK
Iraklis are another of the early-season stragglers who have experienced something of a recent resurgence, with consecutive draws against an in-form Ergotelis and then away at Panathinaikos – where they came within seconds of victory.
Angel Pedraza’s men are equal-last, having only scored four goals this season – one of either Michalis Konstantinou or Anestis Agritis will need to find goal-scoring form if the fortunes of the Gireos are to be reversed.
A Thessaloniki derby might just be the place to start, as PAOK prepare to grace the Kaftanzoglio with their presence.
Fernando Santos’ men are undefeated this season, just one point behind league leaders Olympiakos and also into the last 16 of the Greek Cup. Zlatan Muslimovic and Ibrahim Bakayoko have both shown fine goal-scoring form of late, with the former so far fulfilling the hype that surrounded his summer arrival from Atalanta.
The one conspicuous weakness of the Dikefalos tou Vorra is between their own posts, with Konstantinos Chalkias likely to miss the match on Sunday through injury.
In truth, the Greece international has something of a reputation for being vulnerable to some rather embarrassing gaffes, the last of which arrived last weak against Levadiakos – luckily, his side were leading 3-0 at the time.
His absence will allow 22 year-old Panagiotis Glikos a rare Greek Super League start in one his side’s biggest games of the season so far this season.
Olympiakos vs Ergotelis
The Erythrolefki came perilously close to a shock Greek Cup exit over third-division side Diagoras on Wednesday evening and will be looking to ease the pain of their UEFA Cup loss to Galatasaray and subsequent Super League defeat by Aris, when they host an Ergotelis side who will be looking for their second Athenian victim within the space of a few days.
Nikos Karageorgiou’s men stunned Panathinaikos on the same evening that Olympiakos struggled to overcome their Gamma Ethniki opposition and might fancy their chances against Ernesto Valverde’s out-of-form and injury-hit side.
Much attention will be payed to 20 year-old Ergotelis midfielder Vasilis Koutsianikoulis, whose inspired the Canaries to their mid-week victory over Henk Ten Cate’s men.
Chris Paraskevas
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