Eternal Rivals clash behind closed doors
SUPERL EAGUE - MATCHDAY 17
Olympiacos host Eternal Rivals Panathinaikos in Matchday 17 of the Greek Super League - their first game of the 2020 calendar year - in front of no fans at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus..
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Without a doubt, Olympiacos - Panathinaikos is the biggest match in Greek football and the fixture which fans worldwide circle on the calendar at the start of the season, even though neither sides are the unstoppable force they once were. The two most supported teams in the country and both with passionate fan bases do not like each other, and this rivalry always makes for a memorable, much-anticipated encounter.
The famous old cliche - ‘form goes out the window in derbies’ cannot be more accurate in the case of the Derby of the Eternal Enemies, especially in recent seasons. Primarily due to a poor financial situation off the field, Panathinaikos are nowhere near as strong as they once were. Olympiacos have been expected to cruise to victory on many occasions, yet the Greens continually find ways to either win or draw.
The last meeting is a prime example. Olympiacos were tipped to win by a big score in Matchday 4 at an empty OAKA Stadium, but Panathinaikos suffocated them out of the game and restricted the Reds to limited chances in front of goal. Olympiacos took the lead through Miguel Angel Guerrero in the 35th minute, however, Yohan Mollo equalised from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to earn a 1-1 draw for the Trifylli.
This is not a one-off either. Since the 2016-17 season, the Reds have only emerged victorious on two occasions (and one of those was a 0-3 win on paper as the game was halted due to crowd trouble, although they were leading 0-1 at the time). Remarkably, Panathinaikos have not lost at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium since 2016. The last two meetings ended in 1-1 draws.
Ironically, one of those 1-1 draws that came in 2017 was in front of no fans in Piraeus, much like Sunday evening’s clash. Olympiacos will be forced to host their rivals behind closed doors as part of a punishment for incidents that occurred in their last home derby against PAOK. Back then, two dubious penalties (one for each side) led to a 1-1 draw as Anthony Mounier equalised in the dying minutes from the spot in front of an empty Gate 7.
In the Greek football landscape, fans play a vital role in the outcome of derbies. Only home fans are allowed to be present, and they generally create an intimidating atmosphere for their rivals. The absence of fans will undoubtedly hurt Olympiacos as their supporters will not get the chance to act as the ‘twelfth man.’
On top of this, the Reds have only picked up five points from their first three derbies of the season. This is hardly the type of form one would expect of a title-winning side - they drew to Panathinaikos away, beat AEK at home, and drew to PAOK at home. Beating teams around you on the ladder is key to clinching the title.
Panathinaikos themselves have also picked up five points from their first three derbies. The ability to be mentally ready for derbies and fight for every ball has been a major positive for the Greens this season. Beating the teams below them on the ladder, that sit deep, appears to be the issue for Giorgos Donis’ side.
Olympiacos will look to play on the front foot and assert their authority on the match from the beginning. The midfield battle will be key, especially how both of the respective central midfield combinations fare. Andreas Bouchalakis and Mady Camara have started the last two matches in the middle of the park, and the team only conceded once during this time. Meanwhile, Dimitris Kourbelis and Christos Donis will have their hands full shielding the backline for Panathinaikos. The latter has been a revelation this season and is among the most consistent players at the club.
Olympiacos boast the second-best attack in the Championship with 32 goals scored in 16 matches, averaging two goals per game. In stark contrast, Panathinaikos have only scored 16 goals in 16 games, averaging one goal per game.
The Reds possess two lethal strikers in the form of the competition’s leading scorer Youssef El-Arabi and Hillal Soudani. On the flip side, Federico Macheda has underwhelmed for the Greens with only five goals to his name (only two have come from open play). The Italian has struggled to lead the line on his own. As a result, Donis could opt for youthful exuberance in the form of Juan Jose Perea to keep the Olympiacos backline on its toes due to his endless energy and hunger to chase every ball - traits desperately needed in derbies. Macheda, on the other hand, offers experience and Donis could look to start Ghayas Zahid in the hole just behind the striker. The Norwegian international has flourished when played in his natural number 10 position and could unlock a resolute backline.
Continuing to play two forwards simultaneously to provide a double threat will no doubt be something Pedro Martins considers. This will occupy both Panathinaikos centre-backs Bart Schenkeveld and Achilleas Pougouras, although this duo has been solid for Panathinaikos at the back. The Trifylli could opt to pack the midfield by sticking back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, just like they have in recent weeks and their most recent away derby at Toumba.
Breaching the solid Olympiacos backline will not be easy for Panathinaikos. The Reds have only conceded a miserly six goals in 16 games. Ruben Semedo has been pivotal and has proven to be a rock at the back. This does not bode well for Panathinaikos, but there will be space to attack, and anything can happen in a derby.
Olympiacos currently sit in second spot after dropping points in the last match away at Volos, which ended 0-0 but have the chance to move top of the table with PAOK’s loss to Aris on Saturday. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos drew 0-0 at home with Aris, a few days after drawing 1-1 with OFI.
Team News: Olympiacos
Kostas Fortounis remains a long-term absentee. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos and Pape Abou Cisse have been included in the matchday squad, with the latter enjoying an inclusion for the first time in a while. Hillal Soudani will miss out through injury, meaning that Miguel Angel Guerrero is in contention to land a starting position.
Possible line-up: Sa, Tsimikas, Papadopoulos, Semedo, Elabdellaoui, Bouchalakis, Camara, Masouras, Valbuena, El-Arabi, Guerrero.
Team News: Panathinaikos
Dimitris Kolovos has once again been left out of the matchday squad as he attempts to overcome injury and poor form. However, other than that, Giorgos Donis has no major injury concerns. The visitors will head into this derby at virtually full strength, with Konstantinos Kotsaris and Christos Sechou not being in contention due to injury troubles. A formation change could be in the offing as Donis looks to keep the game tight and make the team more compact. Should this be the case, the Greens could look to shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning one of Federico Macheda and Juan Jose Perea miss out on a starting spot.
Possible line-up: Pao line up: Dioudis, Insua, Poungouras, Schenkeveld, Johansson, C.donis, Kourbelis, Bouzoukis, Zahid, Chatzigiovanis, Macheda
Referee: Mattias Gestranius (Finland)
Finnish referee Mattias Gestranius will oversee the latest derby between two fierce rivals. The 41-year-old should be well-known to Greek football fans as he officiated the thrilling derby between Panathinaikos and AEK in November. On top of this, he was the referee in several big games last season, such as PAOK vs. AEK and Olympiacos vs. Atromitos. The Finn has been a full international for FIFA since 2011 and is a laboratory technician by trade.
Referee: Mattias Gestranius (Finland)
Assistant Referees: Jan-Peter Aravirta (Finland) and Miikka Lamu (Finland)
Fourth Official: Dimitris Karantonis (Imathias)
VAR: Tasos Sidiropoulos (Dodecanese)
