Super League survival battle gaining intensity
With 17 games played, the Super League relegation fight is beginning to gain intensity, as plenty of teams are involved in a real scrap at the wrong end of the table. AGONAsport investigates.
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At the moment, eight of the 16 Super League teams are in realistic danger of suffering relegation, with one of them already practically doomed. Last year, Apollon Smyrnis managed to protect their place in the elite with a superb run towards the end of the campaign, but this time the mountain is surely too high to climb. After 17 matches, the Rizoupoli outfit are cut adrift in last place, tallying a mere one victory and six points. Unfortunately for Apollon, it’s surely only a matter of time before their fate is sealed, and it would take a miracle for the organisation to somehow avoid demotion.
15th placed Levadiakos haven’t fared much better. Before the weekend, they also appeared to be on the road to relegation, however a hugely important 1:0 victory against Aris at home has given their survival bid a large boost. In their next three Super League games, Levadiakos will face AEK, Atromitos and Panathinaikos, however the win over Aris proved they still do have hope of escaping the drop. Levadiakos now possess 12 points and are three behind OFI.
For their part, OFI are a tough nut to crack in Heraklion, but while they’ve beaten Olympiacos and Panathinaikos at home, they’re still winless on the road. Their away form is worrying, and if they’re to keep themselves in the Super League, they have to find a way to pick up good results on the road. A reminder that this season, the 16th and 15th clubs suffer automatic relegation, while the team in 14th place will compete in a relegation/promotion playoff against the second best Football League side.
PAS Giannina and Lamia are tied on 17 points, struggling Asteras Tripolis are on 18, Panionios own 19, and AEL are in ninth with 20. In recent games, AEL have made a drastic improvement in the championship, however the Larissa organisation will be docked six points if they fail to pay off debts owed to Angelos Anastasiadis and Konstantinos Makris. AEL subsequently released a statement revealing that they will make the necessary payments.
Both Panionios and Asteras Tripolis are enduring thoroughly disappointing campaigns. Ahead of this season, the two clubs were expected to challenge for European berths, however they have been inconsistent. In Nea Smyrni, Panionios have encountered financial problems and parted ways with French coach Jose Anigo at the wrong time, while over in Tripoli, Asteras never recovered from a tough start to the season which included successive games against PAOK, AEK and Olympiacos. In 12th place, Lamia have suddenly been kicked into life, beating Panathinaikos and Atromitos at home in two consecutive games to give themselves a great chance of staying in the Super League beyond this season. PAS Giannina defeated Apollon Smyrnis on Saturday to get back to winning ways after losses to AEK and Olympiacos in Ioannina.
Here are the Super League standings between 9th and 16th after 17 matches:
9. AEL, 20 points
10. Panionios, 19 points
11. Asteras Tripolis, 18 points
12. Lamia, 17 points
13. PAS Giannina, 17 points
14. OFI, 15 points
15. Levadiakos, 12 points
16. Apollon Smyrnis, 6 points
Next five Super League matches for the eight teams in question:
AEL
Olympiacos (A)
Atromitos (H)
Panetolikos (A)
Xanthi (H)
Lamia (A)
PANIONIOS
Asteras Tripolis (H)
Olympiacos (A)
Apollon Smyrnis (H)
Aris (A)
Panathinaikos (H)
ASTERAS TRIPOLIS
Panionios (A)
Apollon Smyrnis (A)
Aris (H)
Panathinaikos (A)
Atromitos (H)
LAMIA
Apollon Smyrnis (H)
Panetolikos (H)
Xanthi (A)
OFI (A)
AEL (H)
PAS GIANNINA
PAOK (A)
Aris (A)
Panathinaikos (H)
Atromitos (H)
Panetolikos (A)
OFI
Atromitos (H)
Xanthi (H)
AEK (A)
Lamia (H)
Olympiacos (A)
LEVADIAKOS
AEK (A)
Panathinaikos (H)
Atromitos (A)
Panetolikos (H)
Xanthi (A)
APOLLON SMYRNIS
Lamia (A)
Asteras Tripolis (H)
Panionios (A)
PAOK (H)
AEK (A)
