All Eyes on Tense Athens Derby
SUPERL EAGUE - MATCHDAY 10
Old Athenian rivals Panathinaikos and AEK go head to head this weekend in what promises to be a tense affair in the match of the round for Matchday 10 of the Greek Super League.
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Form will go out the window in this latest all Athens derby as desperation kicks in. Both sides have a lot to play for and despite the season being just nine rounds old, the loser will face consequences. Panathinaikos started the season slowly but it appears the injury situation has improved and the team is ready for a rise up the ladder. The Greens showed important fighting qualities at Toumba last week and while depth may be an issue, a full strength team can cause anyone in the Championship headaches. AEK are still reeling from a poor managerial appointment in the summer and need to keep winning to stay in title contention. Dropped points here could spell danger for any hopes of a title race. They have fallen to superior opponents so far but beaten the teams they are expected to beat.
While neither side considers the other its ‘biggest’ rival, tensions will be running high as always. In this case, the pressure to win for different reasons will also be key. The fact that neither side wants to lose this game could lead to a tight, cagey affair with chances at a premium. Both sides play out of OAKA at the moment but it is a Panathinaikos home game and a decent-sized crowd is expected after earlier protests and boycotts this season against club management.
Panathinaikos will look to play on the front foot in front of its home fans. The backline appears settled, Tasos Chatzigiovanis has slotted in seamlessly on the wing after signing a new contract, and Ghayas Zahid has shown his best qualities deployed in his natural attacking midfielder position. Meanwhile, AEK will always be a threat despite an injury crisis of sorts with players such as Petros Mantalos, Marko Livaja and Nelson Oliveira. The latter has four goals to his name so far this season and Panathinaikos centre back Bart Schenkeveld will have his work cut out for him.
Giorgos Donis will not be on the bench for the hosts as he has been handed a three-game suspension and 5000 Euro fine for his conduct towards the fourth official in last weekend’s controversial draw against PAOK.
The Trifylli hold the overall advantage in this derby with 97 wins to date in all competitions, as opposed to the Enosi’s 62 (there have been 73 draws). However, it is the Enosi who have enjoyed more success recently since earning promotion back to the top flight. Panathinaikos have only beaten AEK once since their promotion - that win came in April 2017 in a crazy ending to a frantic fixture.
They played out two relatively dull goalless draws last season that will not be remembered fondly. In the first, the Greens were unlucky not to win as they dominated AEK but could not find the back of the net, whereas in the return clash, Panathinaikos were ultra-tight at the back and AEK ran out of ideas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tET9JCzMXms&t=59s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nbw2aaNHKc&t=77s
Both rivals picked up good results last weekend with the hosts upsetting PAOK in a fiery 2-2 draw at Toumba, meanwhile the visitors left it late to edge Atromitos 3-2 at OAKA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAepUHnrk7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0M-MtvJjQw
Team News: Panathinaikos
The Trifylli are virtually full strength again for Sunday’s derby. Uffe Bech is the only absentee after the Danish international attacker picked up his fifth injury since joining in the summer during training. The extent of the injury remains unknown for now. Fausto Tienza is in the squad but it is thought Donis will stick with the same team that surprised many at Toumba. Zahid has stated in the lead up for the match that “it is time to show that Panathinaikos is a good team” and the team is “improving everyday.”
Possible line-up: Dioudis, Insua, Schenkeveld, Poungouras, Johansson, C.Donis, Kourbelis, Bouzoukis, Zahid, Chatzigiovanis, Macheda.
Team News: AEK
An injury-riddled Enosi are in the opposite boat. Nikos Kostenoglou will be missing several key players in the form of Ognjen Vranjes (suspension), Kostas Galanopoulos, Helder Lopes, Marios Oikonomou and Viktor Klonaridis. Mantalos has shaken off a minor injury and will captain the side. Greek international goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas has been included in the squad but will be given until the final minute to prove his fitness and return to the team. He has not played in over a month. Should he miss out again, Panagiotis Tsintotas will keep his place in the starting side. Dangerman Oliveira stated in the lead up to the game that AEK have to “stop a poor record in derbies as the team is winless in the last ten.”
Possible line-up: Barkas, Hult, Chygrynskiy, Svarnas, Bakakis, Simoes, Krsticic, Verde, Mantalos, Livaja, Oliveira.
Referee: Mattias Gestranius (Finland)
Mattias Gestranius has been selected as the man to take charge of proceedings on Sunday evening. The experienced referee is no stranger to Greek football as he has previously officiated last year’s derby at Toumba between PAOK and AEK. He also oversaw Olympiacos against Atromitos last season. The 41-year-old has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2009 and is a laboratory technician by trade. He is currently one level under the “Elite” status granted by UEFA and has also overseen the matches of numerous Greek sides in Europe - AEK vs Rijeka, PAOK vs Borussia Dortmund, PAOK vs Dinamo Minsk, and PAS Giannina vs AZ Alkmaar.
Referee: Mattias Gestranius (Finland)
Assistant Referees: Jan-Peter Aravirta (Finland) and Mikko Alakare (Finland)
Fourth Official: Tasis (Greece)
VAR: Diamantopoulos (Greece) and Psarris (Greece)
