Homecoming at Karaiskaki

By: Peter Katsiris | September 20th, 2008

It will be a night of returns on Sunday when Olympiacos locks horns with Panserraikos at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. This being the third week in the Greek Super League, Olympiacos will look to continue holding Karaiskaki’s reputation as a fortress; meanwhile, Panserraikos will be keen on stirring an upset in Limani.

The Greek Champions will finally return to play a match at Karaiskaki after being on the road for nearly a month. Their last home game came on Matchday 1; on that Olympiacos gave a three-goal second-half performance to overcome Asteras Tripolis 3-1. Since then, an international break, a trip to Xanthi, and just this past week a trip north to Farum, Denmark, has delayed the ‘Eruthroleuki’ return home. With two wins to their name, Olympiacos finds itself in familiar territory atop the Greek Super League table. To their surprise, their two wins see them only level with Ergotelis on six points and one behind on goal differential. Looking to continue their positive start to capturing their twelfth title in thirteen years, Olympiacos will be hunting to extend their winning introduction.

After a very poor showing last weekend Xanthi, Olympiacos struggled once again this Tuesday against Danish club FC Nordsjaelland. Although the Piraeus club emerged victors in Xanthi and in Denmark, 1-0 and 2-0 respectively, the chemistry that has been ever so present in Piraeus did not travel with the club. With a team expected to redeem themselves after a shock exit from the Champions League, Olympiacos’ early form does not look promising.

Knowing his side are under the microscope, Ernesto Valverde is urging his side to give the performance of the season this weekend. “I have attended both of Panserraikos’ matches and I believe they are a good team, who play football as a team, have quality players and who race out of the blocks very quickly at the beginning of matches,” Valverde told the club’s official website.

“On our part, we need to be totally focused on our own game and we need to pay special attention to certain phases of the match,” added the Spanish tactician.

“In the two difficult away matches we have played in the league and the UEFA Cup, we have had two equally important victories and that’s how we want to continue, as the game at the weekend is one of those in which we should not drop points.”

The club must begin to take advantage of the lenient schedule in the coming weeks; with autumn approaching the club will see its workload increase – especially with Olympiacos’ European ambitions.
“I believe it is a chance to continue with successive victories. However, in the knowledge that there are no easy matches, we must be both serious and careful.”

Olympiacos captain was rumoured to be returning to fitness for this match, but further complications have kept the legendary leader from returning to full training.

Meanwhile, Leonardo could miss Sunday’s match as he faces a race towards fitness and could be omitted from the roster with Didier Domi set to replace the Brazilian. In the midfield, Fernando Belluschi is expected to start the game on the bench as Sebastian Leto returns to the starting line-up.

For Panserraikos, head coach Nikos Anastopoulos returns to Karaiskaki but the legendary Olympiacos talisman marks his return as a member of the opposition. ‘The Lions’ have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the light of their Super League return. After earning promotion for the first time since their 1992 relegation, an opening day defeat of Iraklis at Kautanzogleio was reason to celebrate; however, Serres came back down to earth the following matchday when visitors Panionios nipped Panserraikos 1-0.

Not tipped to stir up any shocks in Greece’s top flight, Panserraikos head into the Sunday tilt with Olympiacos as pressure-less underdogs. With Karaiskaki being the venue, Olympiacos is expected to come away victors but the sturdy defensive side from ‘Serres’ will definitely not be pushovers. Having a very vocal fan base, the travelling supporters will definitely try to spark their team in one Greece’s fortress-like stadiums.