PAOK’s UECL opponents preview: HJK Helsinki

PAOK’s UECL opponents preview: HJK Helsinki

By Nikolas Fil

PAOK is set to face German side Eintracht Frankfurt, former Scottish champions Aberdeen and Finnish champions HJK Helsinki. 


Today we are gonna preview PAOK’s clash with Klubi (the Club in Finnish), while we are also gonna talk about key players from Helsinki’s squad, including their strengths and weaknesses. 


Helsinki is arguably the best team in Finland winning the league 6 times in the last 10 years, currently after 22 games they are sitting at the top of Veikkausliiga with 44 points.

 

Manager:Toni Korkeakunnas

 

Toni Korkeakunnas is a Finnish football manager and former player. He made a name for himself while playing at TP-55, playing 141 games for the club scoring 28 goals as a CM. He started his coaching career in 1999 managing Gnistan, while he was also studying in Finland’s best coaching school. 


He joined HJK in 2023 firstly as an assistant, he took over in July 2023 after the club sacked first team’s coach.He was also part of Finland’s coaching staff in their historic first appearance in a major competition in Euro 2020.


Tactical approach


HJK prefer a more possession-based playing style where they control the ball inside the opposition half. Korkeakunnas likes to utilize the full width of the pitch, operating a lot through the wings, where full-backs rise to offer support or throw crosses in early.


Star player:Filip Rogic


Filip Rogic is a 30 year old Swede-Croatian footballer who can play as a CM/CDM. He began his career at Eskilstuna City in Sweden in 2011, where he made 26 appearances before moving to Ostersund. Where he managed to play only 10 games. He moved to AFC Eskilstuna making a name for himself. 


He made over 90 appearances, scoring 14 goals and giving 7 assists. After various moves all across Russia, Thailand and Sweden, including one to Orebro SK, where he scored 23 goals in 80 appearances. 


He moved to Finnish champions in the summer of 2023 and so far the 30 year old has made 5 appearances in all competitions. He’s currently the most valuable player at the club at 750.000 euros.


Honorable mention:Giorgos Kanellopoulos


Giorgos Kanellopoulos is a 23 year old Greek U21 international footballer who can play as a CM. He began his professional career in Asteras Tripolis making 28 appearances for Asteras from 2017 to 2023 without scoring. He moved to HJK in January 2023, where so far he has made 30 appearances in all competitions without scoring. 


He made his debut for Greece’s U21 in a friendly against Denmark in March 2021. So far he has made 8 appearances for Ethniki U21 7 of them in last years’ Qualifiers


Hellas Football 


Follow @BVBNikolas

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