Donis told to leave Panathinaikos
Giorgos Donis has been informed that he won’t be the Panathinaikos head coach beyond the 2019/2020 season, according to the latest reports.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!
Donis’ time at Panathinaikos looks to have reached its conclusion. On Friday evening, reports revealed that Giannis Alafouzos has informed Donis by letter that he won’t be the coach beyond the 2019/2020 campaign, requesting him to willingly step aside. Alafouzos is eager for the contract to be mutually terminated so that the unpopular Panathinaikos owner doesn’t have to pay Donis his clause of 450,000 euros.
Sport 24 stated that Alafouzos instructed his chauffeur to deliver his letter to Donis’ home at 21:20 local time on Thursday.
Panathinaikos sporting director, Xavi Roca, is currently searching for a new head coach.
Over the course of the last few months, the relationship between Alafouzos and Donis has turned somewhat sour, with the pair not being able to discover common ground concerning Panathinaikos’ future. Alafouzos has now lost patience and isn’t prepared to work with Donis any longer.
In the 2019/2020 Super League regular season, Donis steered Panathinaikos to fourth place of the standings, earning 44 points from 26 matches. The playoffs will start for Panathinaikos on June 7 with a headline derby against AEK at the Olympic Stadium.
Overall, the 50-year-old has managed 67 Panathinaikos games since becoming the boss in July 2018, registering 30 victories, 17 draws and 20 defeats across all competitions. His current contract with Panathinaikos is due to expire in the summer of 2021.
