PAOK looks to halt Olympiacos’ Greek Cup rein

By: Peter Katsiris | March 4th, 2009

They are the defending Greek Cup Champions, but tonight, Olympiacos is on the verge of elimination. The port city continues its week of excitement as yet another derby takes place at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium. After hosting Panathinaikos on the weekend, the home stand continues for Olympiacos with a meeting with their northern rivals PAOK.

The Thessaloniki based club makes its way to ‘Limani’ with a slim edge after the first leg at the Toumba Stadium. Meeting about a month ago in Thessaloniki, it was a chipped goal from Sergio Conceicao that allows PAOK to hold a 1-0 aggregate lead heading into Wednesday’s decisive second leg.

The hosts played out a suspenseful 0-0 draw with Panathinaikos on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak, but their winless streak has not stretched to four matches after two losses to French side Saint-Etienne and a Super League slip against Ergotelis. Meanwhile, PAOK has begun a new winning streak after their 3-0 loss to Panathinaikos a few weeks ago, and claimed a dramatic win over Panionios on the weekend.

Manager Ernesto Valverde is faced with yet another dilemma ahead of PAOK’s visit. While the main headlines swirling in and around Piraeus include the Spaniard’s training ground altercation with on-loan Liverpool midfielder Sebastian Leto, it is still a crucial time for the Greek Champions. Still leading the Super League by nine points over their Wednesday night opponents, and two further points over Panathinaikos, Olympiacos is undoubtedly on pace for another Super League crown. However, the last two weeks have paved way for a dip in form and confidence. Losing more games in the last two weeks than in their season campaign thus far, the ‘Erythrolefki’ will be keen to start March on a winning note.

A handful of injuries will rule out some of Olympiacos’ regulars, including Paraskevas Antzas who begins a 3-4 week spell on the sidelines. The former Greece international was injured in Sunday’s meeting with Panathinaikos, and now joins Ieroklis Stoltidis, Didier Domi, Giorgos Galitsios, Aristides Soiledis, and a suspended Leto on the injured reserve.

PAOK also faces a string of absences, but it is expected manager Fernando Santos will opt for a defensive formation in the wake of their 1-0 aggregate lead. The Portuguese manager has never steered his side past Olympiacos in the Super League, but the former AEK Athens boss can be confident with his Greek Cup record soaring high over ‘O Thrylos’. Filippos Darlas, and Pablo Garcia are among the notable absentees for the ‘Dikefale tou Vorra.’

Sitting in second in the Greek Super League, PAOK has been the closest competitor to Olympiacos’ bid to reclaim the Greek title since the season started in late August. Hosting Olympiacos this approaching weekend, PAOK will look to gain confidence and a spot in the semi-finals with a win over their nationwide rivals.

A draw will take Santos’ men through to face either Asteras Tripolis or Panionios, but interestingly enough the last time Olympiacos lost at home to Greek opposition was on March 4^th, 2007 as former Panathinaikos striker Dimitrios Papapadopoulos struck in a 1-0 Super League win for the Athenians.