Panathinaikos preparing for Leoforos return
Panathinaikos are preparing to return to the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on Leoforos Alexandras for the 2020/2021 season.
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Since the 2018/2019 season, Panathinaikos have been playing their football at the largely unpopular Olympic Stadium in Marousi, with the football club having been in poor relations with the amateur organisation which owns the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. However, the relationship between the two parties has since improved, consequently opening the door for Panathinaikos to make their grand return to Leoforos Alexandras.
Both Giannis Alafouzos and Giorgos Donis, the Panathinaikos owner and head coach respectively, have reportedly had enough of playing at the OAKA which lacks atmosphere due to its large capacity and running track. There have also been plenty of issues with the quality of the pitch.
Alafouzos, Donis and the players are all in favour of returning to the club’s spiritual home, the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. All that remains is for an official agreement to be reached with the amateur Panathinaikos organisation, something which is assumed to be a formality. Panathinaikos technical director, Xavi Roca, also feels that playing at Leoforos will help the team achieve more positive results.
Furthermore, AEK are expected to move to the Georgios Kamaras Stadium in Rizoupoli for next season, meaning that the OAKA is left deserted. The Agia Sofia Stadium in Nea Filadelfeia is predicted to be ready for the 2021/2022 campaign.
Panathinaikos are hopeful of constructing a new stadium in the Votanikos area in the future.
In the regular season of the Super League, Panathinaikos earned fourth place of the table with 44 points from 26 games, and the Athenians are scheduled to play against AEK in the first round of the playoffs which have been temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
