Goal.com Special: Greeks Abroad

Giorgios Samaras (Celtic, Scotland)

Not a particularly good week for the former Heerenveen striker, who again failed to shine on the European stage for his Glasgow club.

Twice, he came close to scoring in the first-half of his side’s 2-1 loss away against Aalborg with the scores locked at 0-0.

Celtic took the lead before conceding two heartbreaking late goals to crash out of the competition before they recovered to record an unconvincing 1-0 win over Inverness, during which the Greek striker was particularly ineffective.

Substituted after the hour-mark during both matches.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa, Italy), Vaggelis Moras (Bologna, Italy)

The two centre-backs faced off against each other as Genoa dropped points at home for the first time this season. The match ended 1-1 and both defenders managed 90 minutes.

Genoa sit in seventh place in the Serie A table, two points away from Napoli in fourth place whilst Bologna find themselves second from bottom.

It is perhaps worthy noting that Papastathopoulos has been forced into a variety of defensive roles this season. Though he played as a central defender in an orthodox back-four whilst at AEK, the 20-year-old has predominantly been utilized as a right-back in Italy, though he played on the right side of a three-man defence at the weekend.

Giourkas Seitaridis (Atlético Madrid, Spain)

An extremely successful week for the Greek right-back, notching up two rare Atlético starts, finishing both matches.

He was in superb form on Wednesday as his side scored a 2-1 home win over PSV; the right-back at his attacking best surging forward with his characteristically cavalier runs and setting up Simao for the opener with a right-wing cross.

Seitaridis also set-up Diego Forlan for his side’s final goal in a 4-1 over Racing Santander at the weekend, moving them into sixth place on the Spanish Primera Division ladder.

Nikos Lyberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)

Following a double in his side’s 4-0 win over Hannover last weekend, he played a full game as he and his teammates were brought crashing back down to earth by an irrepressible Bremen side at the Weserstadion, where Frankfurt found themselves on the end of a 5-0 defeat.

Note: His international teammate and Eintracht captain, Ioannis Amanatidis, remains sidelined through a knee injury.

Theofanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)

Like last week, had to be satisfied with a  role as a late substitute, coming on with seven minutes remaining as his side suffered a 2-0 home loss to Bayern Munich.

Angelos Charisteas (FC Nuremberg, Germany)

Apparently transfer-listed by his club and according to German media reports on his way out of Nuremberg, he was nonetheless introduced as a half-time substitute in his side’s 1-1 draw away against VfL Osnabruck.

Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica, Portugal)

Made a return to action at the weekend after a virus had kept him out of his side’s 5-1 hammering at the hands of Olympiakos, despite the fact that he travelled with the squad. Scored in his side’s 2-2 league draw at home to Vitoria Setubal, a result that leaves them one point behind leaders Leixoes.

Christos Karypidis (Hearts, Scotland)

His rather clumsy own goal wasn’t enough to stop his side from scoring a 2-1 home win over Rangers, playing a full game as his side held on for the last 14 minutes with ten men.

Stelios Giannakopoulos (Hull City, England)

An unused substitute during his side’s 1-1 away draw against Stoke but the fact that he appears to be holding down a spot on the bench is quite a recovery for the 33 year-old, who was without a club at the beginning of the season.

Dimitris Papadopoulos (Lecce, Italy)

Yet to make his debut for the Serie A side, after recently moving away from former club Panathinaikos on a free transfer.

Efstathios Tavlaridis (St Etienne, France)

Still out through injury, his struggling side picking up a crucial 2-1 win away at Nancy over the weekend in his absence.

Dimitris Konstantopoulos (Swansea, England)

Wasn’t on the bench against current club Coventry during midweek (from where he has been loaned), where his Swansea grabbed a 1-1 draw. Returned to the bench for the weekend home draw against Cardiff though.

Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus)

Played a full game as his side recorded a 3-1 league win over Atromitos at the weekend, following up from their 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen during the week.

His club’s former president – who recently resigned amidst embezzlement claims against him – remains in police custody.


Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com