SLGR Matchday 19 Preview: Olympiacos try to stay top while Aris look for another upset
AGONAsport’s George Tsitsonis previews matchday 19 of the 2019/20 Greek SuperLeague.
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The big match between Olympiacos and Aris is the most anticipated match of the 19th round of the 2019/20 Greek Super League 1 season. Sunday night’s encounter pits leaders Olympiacos against the fourth-placed Thessaloniki side in what promises to be a competitive match-up. Elsewhere, PAOK will hope their city rivals do them a favor in order to go top of the table should they manage to defeat visiting Asteras Tripolis. AEK are home to Larisa while Xanthi and Panathinaikos meet in a battle with top six implications.
Below is a day-by-day breakdown of this weekend’s matches.
Saturday
Panionios-OFI
Panetolikos-Lamia
Saturday’s schedule feature just two games. The first takes place in Nea Smyrni as Panionios and OFI square off. The two sides are suffering from a severe loss of form. Entering the match, Panionios are in the midst of a disastrous stretch with six consecutive league defeats. Adding insult to injury was a Greek Cup elimination at the hands of Panetolikos this week. OFI are not in much better shape. At one point as high as third in the table, the Crete club have lost four of their last six matches and are down to ninth. OFI too exited the Greek Cup during midweek action going down 7-1 on aggregate to PAOK.
The late kick-off is set for Agrinio and the match between home side Panetolikos and Lamia. After a fine run toward the end of 2019 where they won four of five matches, Lamia have cooled since with just one win from their last five. Last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Olympiacos was particularly disappointing from the perspective that Akis Mantzios’ men offered little resistance. Panetolikos defeated OFI just before the winter break for their first win of the season. Since then they have lost to AEK and Atromitos in the league as normal service has resumed. The hope is that a midweek Greek Cup qualification to the quarter-finals at the expense of Panionios will provide the spark the club’s season desperately needs.
Sunday
Xanthi-Panathinaikos
AEK-Larisa
Atromitos-Volos
PAOK-Asteras Tripolis
Olympiacos-Aris
Sunday’s feast of five matches begins with an intriguing tie at Xanthi as the home side hosts Panathinaikos. Xanthi will hope to pull off the head-to-head double over their opponents after winning away to the Prasini 1-0 earlier in the season. Xanthi have won two in a row and are up to fifth in the standings, one point above Panathinaikos. Giorgos Donis’ men came from behind to secure progression to the final eight of the Greek Cup after a dramatic 3-1 win over PAS Giannina in midweek action. Now the focus shifts back to the league where the team want to consolidate their position in the top six for the playoffs.
Up next on Sunday, AEK return home to face off against Larisa. Last week’s derby defeat to PAOK left a bitter taste as Massimo Carrera’s side created precious little. The onus will be on the Kitrinomavri to force the initiative and get back to form this weekend. Larisa have been on the outer fringes of the top six for most of the season. A shock win at AEK could move them into the playoff places and create the necessary momentum to push off from.
PAOK will be expected to pick up three more points when they play Asteras Tripolis this weekend in Thessaloniki. It has all the makings of a straightforward match for Abel Ferreira’s team who will want to capitalize on any potential slip-up from Olympiacos. Asteras look condemned to a spot in the relegation playoffs. The Arkades currently sit third from the bottom and would need to hit a great run of form in order to climb out of the lower levels of the Super League 1 table.
The AGONAsport Match of the Week is the north-south derby between Olympiacos and Aris. Olympiacos hold a one-point lead over PAOK and will want to preserve that with a victory at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Sunday night. Undefeated thus far after eighteen matches, the future looks good for Pedro Martins’ side considering the return of several key players as of late including Kostas Fortounis, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, and Guilherme. Aris meanwhile are facing a minor injury crisis heading into this match with some key personnel set to miss out or at least doubtful to play including the likes of Julian Cuesta, Bruno Gama, and Martin Tonso. A top-six place is anything but assured for Michael Oenning and his team and thus another big victory, like the one against PAOK a fortnight back, would be coveted.
The day’s remaining encounter features Atromitos playing host to Volos. Atromitos are knocking on the door of the top six, something of an achievement after an indifferent start to their season. They will need to win matches like this should they harbor playoff ambitions. Volos have been up to the challenge in their first top-flight season since promotion. While they have blown hot and cold as far as consistency goes, the club do seem well-equipped to stay in the division.
