Derby Clash on Deck 

Father’s Day – it’s internationally celebrated and is a day that recognizes the contribution that fathers and father figures make to the lives of their children. This year, Father’s Day will have another highlight; an Olympiacos-Panathinaikos clash. Regardless in what kind of shape these two teams are in, nothing can surpass the intensity, the passion, and the one-upmanship of the Derby of the Eternal Rivals.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV! 

Breezing Through the Schedule

Before focusing on their Super League Playoff Matchday 3 fixture against Panathinaikos, the Legend hosted Aris. The Thessaloniki squad had an impressive showing against OFI in their first game back from the Covid-19 break and were more than capable of creating havoc in the Olympiacos defense.

Pedro Martins lined up the Reds in their typical 4-3-2-1 scheme. The only difference in the Starting XI was that Ruben Semedo was left off in favor of Pape Abou Cisse. Martins has had the luxury of having three legitimate options in the center-back position. Though they weren’t as sharp as that magical evening in London, Cisse, and Ousseynou Ba had a decent showing and kept Aris’ attack in check.

In the first 20 minutes of the contest, the Erythrolefki looked like they were dragging their feet, often finding themselves losing all one-on-one battles. Mady Camara broke the game open with his first-ever two-goal game in an Olympiacos jersey. In his two seasons in Piraeus, Camara has continued to steadily improve. His arduous workout sessions during the “social distancing break” enabled him to remain in physical form and he is fully match fit.

Seeing the demanding schedule that the Reds will have the next week, coach Martins substituted Youssef El Arabi, Andreas Bouchalakis, and Mathieu Valbuena in the second half. The Portuguese bench-boss knows that he will need to keep his bench in match form as they will most certainly be called upon during Olympiacos’ “week of hell.” After hosting Panathinaikos this Sunday at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, PAOK will visit on Wednesday for the second game of the Greek Cup semi-finals (Olympiacos lost the first leg 3-2 in Thessaloniki). The difficult week will end next weekend when Olympiacos travel to the OAKA Spyros Louis to face AEK.

Wounded Warrior

Kostas Fortounis has been a mainstay in Piraeus since 2014. Arguably regarded as the best Greek footballer in the world, Fortounis has had issues with Pedro Martins which escalated last February during a 0-1 victory at Toumba Stadium. Fortounis, having recovered from a seven-month long ACL injury, was upset at the fact that he was benched for the crucial match-up in Thessaloniki.

Pedro Martins has shown that he will not put up with any attitude problems from the players. To top it all off, the formation that Martins has used doesn’t benefit the attacking midfielder from Trikala. Instead of the classic “10,” Martins uses the trio of Bouchalakis, Guilherme, and Camara. Camara will often play higher to press the opposing defenses that try to carry and distribute the ball. In both of Olympiacos’ first two goals of the encounter with Aris, the recipe worked beautifully.

Nevertheless, Fortounis continues to have elite talent but his future doesn’t look very clear. These final few games of the season will definitely determine his future at the club.

Eternal Rivals Visit

Panathinaikos are coming off two draws against AEK and PAOK to start the playoffs. The Greens will not be eligible to qualify for any European competitions next season due to their financial issues so they aren’t playing for anything. This makes them a lot more dangerous as they have very little to lose.

Even with their recent struggles and the fact that Olympiacos have had a far superior roster this past decade, it is not a given that the Gavros will walk away with the three points in this one. 

Since the 2010-11 season, Olympiacos have five victories, four draws, and one loss at home against the Trifylli. That’s a 50% ratio of games where some points have been dropped.

Panathinaikos President, Ioannis Alafouzos, and team manager, Giorgos Donis, have had a rocky relationship that will officially end once this season is complete. The Greens look in disarray and on paper, there is no comparison between the two rosters. Olympiacos have a much more talented squad but these games are often won with grit and passion. For the second time this season, the Georgios Karaiskakis will see an Olympiacos-Panathinaikos with no home crowd, in late June. As much as this all seems anti-climactic, it’s still Greece’s most notorious derby where anything (and usually everything) can happen.

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!