SLGR Matchday 19 Preview: Derby of The ‘Dikefaloi’ In Athens

AGONAsport’s George Tsitsonis previews matchday 19 of the 2018/19 Greek SuperLeague.

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The 2018/19 Greek Super League is set to take its most decisive step yet with regard to the title race. Matchday 19 this weekend promises to shed light on fight for the championship with the highlight fixture of the derby between AEK and PAOK on Sunday evening.

Olympiacos will be hoping that leaders PAOK can drop points so they can pull closer should they defeat Panionios on Saturday. Atromitos will attempt to end a poor run of form at Larisa while the weekend’s other matches feature a few between sides chasing Europe and those battling against the drop.

Below is a day-by-day breakdown of this weekend’s matches.

Saturday

Lamia - Panetolikos

Olympiacos - Panionios

Certainly out of the two matches on Saturday’s schedule, Olympiacos versus Panionios is the most anticipated. If Olympiacos can manage to defeat the Nea Smyrniotes then they could pull to within five points of PAOK and stay there, should AEK manage to hold court at home to the Thessaloniki club. Olympiacos are unbeaten in eleven matches and appear to be in very good form as evidenced by their midweek 4-0 thrashing of Larisa. Panionios are having a below-par season by their standards, but did stop a recent winless run with a home win over Asteras Tripolis.

In the match that kicks off the weekend, Lamia host Panetolikos. Three straight wins have seen Lamia climb out of the relegation zone as they have flown out of the gates in 2019. A fourth consecutive success could put them well above the bottom four and go a long way in achieving safety. Panetolikos ended 2018 on a high, but have been frustrated in their last few matches. The Agrinio club are coming off a 1-0 midweek defeat to Panathinaikos.

Sunday

OFI - Xanthi

Apollon Smirnis - Asteras Tripolis

Levadiakos - Panathinaikos

Larisa - Atromitos

Aris - PAS Giannina

AEK - PAOK

Sunday is a jam-packed day of action with six matches on tap. The biggest of these is undoubtedly at the Olympic Stadium in Athens as AEK host PAOK in the AGONAsport Match of the Week. The stage is set for an enthralling game pitting two sides against each other with little love lost in the last few seasons. But besides a growing rivalry, this match also has massive title implications. With an eight-point lead at the top of the Super League, PAOK would be taking their biggest step toward the league title with a victory on Sunday night. After such a brilliant start to the season that has seen them go undefeated and draw just one of their 18 matches thus far, it would be difficult to see how PAOK could lose the title if they pass through this match unscathed.

AEK meanwhile may not have serious title chances, but the defending champions have shown as of late they have rediscovered their championship mentality. A change in formation has been exactly what the team have needed and the Kitrinomavri look like a club that received a positive shock treatment. It promises to be one of the season’s most anticipated derbies on Sunday.

The day begins in Crete with OFI playing host to Xanthi. OFI are a formidable side at home, having taking points off some of the league’s top sides this season at the Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium. Xanthi will be no pushovers either, especially considering they are not too far off the final Europa League place.

The OFI-Xanthi match is one of three games pitting teams fighting for Europe with those battling against the drop. Panathinaikos will be wary of going away to play Levadiakos. That is because Levadiakos will be playing for their top-flight lives as they know a defeat will bring them that much closer to relegation. Panathinaikos meanwhile find themselves just three points off of fourth and will want a victory to keep the pressure on slumping Atromitos.

A fine 1-0 win at Xanthi pumped new life into Aris’ hopes of a place in Europe next season. That victory put the club just four points from Atromitos. Another win at home this weekend to PAS Giannina for Savvas Pantelidis’ men would bring about some real momentum at the Kleanthis Vikelidis. PAS meanwhile must be buoyed by their performance in Toumba in the midweek round. Though they lost 2-1 to PAOK, Giannis Petrakis’ players were solid throughout and could be counted as unlucky not to have grabbed a point from that fixture.

An awful run of form from Atromitos has seen them not only drop to fourth in recent weeks, but allow other sides to close in on their grasp of the fourth in the league. Thursday’s 1-1 draw at OFI was the third consecutive match that Damir Canadi’s team have taken the lead only to lose it soon after. Winners of just one in their last six, Atromitos must rediscover their form in order to keep ahold of that European spot. This weekend they play another team in Larisa who are not so great on the road, but whom are very strong at home.

Finally, Apollon Smirnis and Asteras Tripolis meet in Rizoupoli. Apollon look dead and buried at this point, twelve points from safety and in last place in the division. They need nothing but a win against Asteras, who themselves have opened up the second half of the season in disastrous form. The truth is that Asteras have had a very difficult schedule in recent weeks. Regardless, they will have to begin picking up some more points before they too are hauled back into the bottom four.

by George Tsitsonis

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