Livaja hoping to rekindle memories of 2017 against PAOK
In superb form, Croatian star Marko Livaja will be hoping to steer AEK to their first victory on the pitch against PAOK since November 2017.
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The importance of Sunday’s derby at the Olympic Stadium cannot be underestimated. Playing with plenty of confidence with Nikos Kostenoglou at the helm, AEK are a completely different team in comparison to the start of the season, winning three successive matches in the Super League after an opening-day defeat to Xanthi. Reigning champions PAOK, who have struggled to gain momentum under the guidance of Abel Ferreira, are in need of a positive result in Athens which would immediately silence their critics.
One player in particular is ready to make the difference in what is predicted to be a tense duel between two well-matched teams.
His name is Livaja. Marko Livaja. You never quite know what you’re going to get from the erratic Croat, however the gifted 26-year-old forward has made a brilliant start to the campaign with an impressive five goals and two assists in just eight matches. Blessed with wonderful technical ability, Livaja is rightly regarded as one of the best players in the Super League, playing with flair and creativity. He scored the winning goal last week against Panetolikos on the road with an arrowed attempt into the left corner, his fifth marker in as many away games:
Another worrying sign for PAOK is Livaja’s consistent performances against the Dikefalos tou Vorra. On November 5, 2017 AEK defeated PAOK 1-0 at the OAKA on their way to the Super League title, as Livaja tapped the ball home from point blank range. This is AEK’s most recent win against PAOK excluding the abandoned game at the Toumba Stadium in early 2018:
Livaja also made a vital contribution against PAOK in the 2018/2019 Super League. Unmarked on the right flank, Livaja swept over a masterful cross for the lurking Ezequiel Ponce, who subsequently beat Alexandros Paschalakis with a powerful header:
In the same season, Livaja could have prevented AEK from losing in Thessaloniki to their Dikefaloi rivals, but he smacked the post before PAOK managed to break the deadlock. PAOK went on to win the match 2-0.
AEK are desperate for their first derby victory against one of the big four since 2018. With an army of at least 40,000 supporters backing them at the OAKA, AEK have a great chance to finally get one over PAOK, and Livaja will be hoping to deliver the goods again.
