Difficult matches about to test the capabilities of Olympiacos
Placed in a similar situation to their main Super League contenders, Olympiacos have a testing stretch of matches approaching after flying out of the blocks at the start of the 2018/2019 campaign. AGONAsport investigates.
Under the guidance of Portuguese manager Pedro Martins, the new-look Thrylos have captured the headlines with excellent displays, making the UEFA Europa League group stages and emerging victorious in the first two matches of the Super League campaign (Levadiakos 1:0, PAS Giannina 5:0). This Sunday, Olympiacos’ run of three successive domestic championship home matches comes to an end against Asteras Tripolis, a game which requires a maximum amount of effort from the Erythrolefkoi. In the previous season, the Piraeus club could only draw twice against Asteras (1:1 home and away), so they have a point to prove at the Karaiskakis Stadium.
Spanish organisation Real Betis travel to Greece on Thursday to play Olympiacos and the Thrylos are eager to get off to a winning start in the Europa League group phase. In the subsequent games, Olympiacos play Panionios in Nea Smyrni, host PAOK, fly to Italy for a Europa League match with AC Milan and compete against AEK at the Olympic Stadium.
Nevertheless, despite the demanding calendar, Olympiacos do boast a huge squad and such impressive depth is sure to give the Piraeus outfit a huge advantage over AEK and PAOK in the quest to survive the month. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, who joined from AEK this summer in a controversial move, has made a superb start to life with Olympiacos, while attacking midfielder Konstantinos Fortounis is a reborn player with Martins at the helm. Thrylos fans will be hoping the pair continue performing at such a high level in the tricky upcoming period.
Olympiacos’ schedule for the next six matches:
September 16, Olympiacos - Asteras Tripolis, Super League;
September 20, Olympiacos - Real Betis, Europa League;
September 24, Panionios - Olympiacos, Super League;
September 30, Olympiacos - PAOK, Super League;
October 4, AC Milan - Olympiacos, Europa League;
October 7, AEK - Olympiacos, Super League.
by Shaun Nicolaides
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