Tough Draw for Greek Champions

By: Peter Katsiris | October 7th, 2008

Today’s draw for the UEFA Cup group stage created a tough route for Olympiacos who find themselves in a tight Group 2. Other sides joining Olympiacos include Portuguese powerhouses SL Benfica, Turkish Champions Galatasaray, German club Hertha Berlin, and Ukrainian newcomers Metalist Kharkhiv.

The top seed – according UEFA‘s club coefficients – is Portuguese side SL Benfica. Boasting a Greek in their roster, Kostas Katsouranis is all too familiar with Olympiacos. However, the same could be said for their manager, Kiki Flores, who encountered Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League during his tenure with La liga Valencia. Mixed list of results during the 1970’s and the 1980’s sees Benfica lead the series with two wins, while Olympiacos have one victory to their name.

The draw has also rekindled rivalries for Olympiacos, as well as many fresh encounters. The everlasting rivalry between Greece and Turkey has always been passionate on the club level, and the several meetings between Olympiacos and Galatasaray have been no different. Meeting mostly in the UEFA Champions League, the travelling side has had limited success. However, that hasn’t stopped attendance from setting records as the 2002 encounter between the two nearly toppled 80 000 as it set a Turkish attendance record.

Germany posed to be a good luck charm for Olympiacos last season, as they clinched their first ever away victory in European Competition against Werder Bremen last season. Olympiacos will be hoping that another meeting with a Bundesliga club will bring the same luck as well. When Olympiacos host Hertha Berlin at Karaiskaki, it will be the first meeting between them in European competition.

Ukrainian outfit Metlaist Kharkiv round out the group and despite their limited success in European competition, Olympiacos’s trip to Ukraine should pose a very though test for the Greek Champions. Metalist has never encountered Olympiacos in their European endeavors, which enters just its second season. Last year they were knocked out of Europe after the 1st Round of the UEFA Cup after losing 4-3 on aggregate to English side Everton. Surely it was an accomplishment to reach this stage of the tournament, but Metalist will hungry for a push into the knockout rounds.

Olympiacos begin their schedule with a trip to the Ataturk Olympic Stadium to face Galatasaray on October 23rd. The following matchday is a bye for Olympiacos, before returning to action against Benfica on November 27th. December fixtures against Metlaist Kahrkhiv in Ukriane, and Hertha Berlin in Greece close out Olympiacos’ group stage schedule.

Group B:
SL Benfica (Portugal)
Olympiacos CFP (Greece)
Galatasaray AŞ (Turkey)
Hertha BSC Berlin (Germany)
FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine)

Matchday 1, 23rd October
Galatasaray - Olympiacos
Hertha Berlin - Benfica
bye - FC Metalist Kharkhiv

Matchday 2, 6th November
FC Metalist Kharkhiv - Hertha Berlin
Benfica - Galatasaray
bye - Olympiacos

Matchday 3, 27th November
Olympiacos - Benfica
Galatasaray - FC Metalist Kharkhiv
bye - Hertha Berlin

Matchday 4, 3rd December
FC Metalist Kharkhiv - Olympiacos
Hertha Berlin - Galatasaray
bye - Benfica

Matchday 5, 18th December
Olympiacos - Hertha Berlin
Benfica - FC Metalist Kharkhiv
bye - Galatasaray