SLGR Player Review: PAOK endure testing first season with Ferreira

AGONAsport analyses the performances of PAOK players during the 2019/2020 season, with the reigning Greek champions having endured a testing campaign.

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Following their championship-winning 2018/2019 campaign, PAOK once again challenged for the Super League title, but a poor start to the calendar year and a damaging points deduction for their participation in a multi-ownership case has left the Dikefalos tou Vorra an overwhelming 14 points behind Olympiacos.

Let’s take a look at PAOK’s standout, reliable and disappointing performers of the season:

THE STANDOUT PERFORMERS

PAOK’s two standout performers this season were the two players who weren’t in the plans of Razvan Lucescu coming into the summer. Both Josip Misic and Dimitris Giannoulis were given their opportunity following the arrival of Abel Ferreira, who replaced Lucescu at the helm.

Misic played a crucial role in PAOK’s midfield this season, scoring five goals and providing eight assists from 25 league appearances. With captain Vieirinha missing the first part of the season recovering from an ACL injury, youngster Giannoulis stepped up at left-back and made the position his own for the entire season, dishing out five assists across all competitions. 

Dimitris Limnios was another Greek youngster who had his breakout season for the club. The exciting winger played in every league encounter this season, tallying four goals and six assists in the championship. Both Giannoulis and Limnios have attracted lots of attention from foreign clubs competing in supposedly stronger leagues.

Vieirinha made a stunning return to action this season, where he rotated playing as a full-back as well as a winger. The 2016 European champion returned to action quicker than the club initially expected, subsequently making an impact straight away by scoring five crucial goals and registering two assists in 17 games. Days after returning from his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in November, Vieirinha proved he was a big-game player by scoring a double to rescue a 2-2 draw against Panathinaikos. He also stood up under pressure and calmly scored the winner in PAOK’s 1-0 victory over AEK in Thessaloniki.

Karol Swiderski was among PAOK’s best performers this season, scoring 10 goals from 24 league appearances. The Polish striker finished the regular season in third place in the golden boot standings behind Olympiacos’ Youssef El Arabi who scored 17 goals and Panathinaikos’ Federico Macheda on 12 goals.

THE RELIABLE PERFORMERS

Dimitris Pelkas had a solid season for the Dikefalos tou Vorra scoring seven goals in 25 games across all tournaments. Pelkas was used in multiple roles throughout the season, which included playing as a second striker, as well as an attacking midfielder.

It was a frustrating season for PAOK’s two reliable centre-backs, with both Fernando Varela and Angel Crespo enduring an extended period on the sidelines due to injuries. Crespo only managed to play in 16 league matches before his season was interrupted as he underwent surgery on his right quadricep. Varela suffered a rupture to the outside of the meniscus and only made 18 appearances in the Super League. The injuries to both of PAOK’s first choice centre-backs opened the door for Sverrir Ingi Ingason, who had previously struggled for regular opportunities. Ingason featured in 21 league matches this campaign, and was also an attacking threat, scoring four goals.

Zivko Zivkovic this season became PAOK’s starting goalkeeper, as he took Alexandros Paschalakis’ spot between the sticks. Zivkovic had a solid season for the club, featuring in 20 league games and keeping 11 clean sheets.

Chuba Akpom was a solid contributor to PAOK’s campaign, netting seven goals and providing two assists. Akpom appeared as a substitute in the majority of his appearances this season.     

Mauricio missed the first part of the season as he returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. He made an impression after returning to the team in midfield, featuring in 17 matches as he was a regular starter in Ferreira’s line-up.

In his first season at PAOK, Douglas Augusto had some good moments in midfield and showed his potential. The 23-year old Brazilian participated in 18 matches in the Super League, scoring two goals and making one assist as a defensive midfielder.

THE DISAPPOINTING PERFORMERS

Leo Matos was one of the disappointments this season, with the 33-year old only providing one assist from his 23 games. Although the Brazilian did also contribute with four goals, he wasn’t able to reproduce a consistent season like in his previous two campaigns. Matos remains in limbo with PAOK yet to offer him a contract renewal for next season.   

Diego Biseswar was another disappointment, with the Dutch winger failing to reproduce his form from PAOK’s championship winning campaign. Last season, Biseswar was a barometer for his team, scoring eight goals and making seven assists in the league. In comparison, Biseswar only managed to score once and tally four assists this time around.

Omar El Kaddouri failed to have an impact in the attacking third of the pitch. The Moroccan failed to score a goal this season across all competitions; moreover, he only managed to get one assist in the regular season of the Super League.

Lazaros Lamprou returned to Thessaloniki following an outstanding season out on loan with Fortuna Sittard. Lamprou came with high expectations, however, he couldn’t break into Ferreira’s team, despite demands from PAOK supporters to play him more often. The 22-year old only managed to make seven appearances in the league, scoring two goals and assisting one marker. 

Rodrigo signed for PAOK in the summer for 1.5 million euros, in order to make competition for places at right-back more competitive. However, Rodrigo failed to make an impact in his first season in Thessaloniki, only playing in four Super League games.

After years of trying to lure Anderson Esiti to Thessaloniki, the club finally got their man, paying 3.5 million to Gent for the aggressive midfielder to bolster their midfield. The Nigerian struggled with consistency and form throughout the campaign, however, only competing in 12 league matches.

Following his career best season last campaign, Alexandros Paschalakis only managed to make six appearances under Abel Ferreira. The Greek international conceded eight goals in the Super League and failed to keep a clean sheet.

Miroslav Stoch was considered to be a key acquisition last summer, as he travelled back to Thessaloniki following an impressive spell with Slavia Prague. The Slovak was a signing by former manager Lucescu, however, and was never considered a part of Ferreira’s plans.

Attacking livewire, Leo Jaba, had an injury interrupted campaign, which saw the Brazilian miss the majority of the season due to a knee problem. On his road to recovery, the youngster suffered complications with his knee and ended up only competing in six matches in the Super League.

Pontus Wernbloom, who suffered an achilles tendon rupture in December 2018, had complications in his recovery and did not feature for the Dikefalos tou Vorra this season. PAOK snapped Greek youngster Dimitrios Meliopoulos up last summer from Xanthi, but the defensive midfielder surprisingly quit football at the start of the season. PAOK also signed highly-rated centre-back Enea Mihaj from Panetolikos in the summer on a four-year deal, however, the Albanian international didn’t feature in the Super League.

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