Olympiakos vs West Ham United: UEFA Europa League Group Stage Preview

Olympiakos vs West Ham United:  

UEFA Europa League Group Stage Preview 

By Stephen Kountourou 

Europa League Match Day Three: 26/10/23

Kick-off Time: 19:45 Greek Time

Venue: Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium

Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 3 HD

The Biggest Test

Olympiakos are no strangers to facing a team from what has been dubbed “the greatest league in the world” the Premier League. Having not faced clubs from another nation more in the UEFA Competition, with the current number at 38 times, West Ham United, first in the Karaiskakis Stadium and then again away at the London Stadium two weeks later, will be the 39th and 40th-time Thrylos will have competed against an English side in their 98-year history. 

Based on the difference in squad value, which for West Ham sits at 470.85 million Euros compared with Olympiakos' overall worth of 101.80 million Euros, this is the biggest test Diego Martinez's men have faced this season. 

This without even talking about the squad that David Moyes has assembled on paper, including Jerrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudos, James Ward-Prowse and Greek international Konstantinos Mavropanos, the latter of whom will undoubtedly play a role in both matches. 

After the unfortunate start that Olympiakos has had to their European campaign, the last thing any Thrylos supporters would have wanted was to go into the doubleheader against the Hammers, needing results against the group favourites.

It is also worth noting that this is not the first time both sides will play against each other. The Hammers last encountered Olympiakos during the 1965/66 edition of the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, where the English side comfortably knocked out Thrylos over two legs, 6-2 on aggregate.  

Last time in the Europa League

Olympiakos 

It was a frustrating night again in the Europa League for Olympiakos when the Piraeus side travelled to Serbia to play TSC Bačka Topola. Thrylos started the match brightly with a goal from Giorgos Masouras to put the away side ahead. 

In the second half, Daniel Podence doubled their lead and it looked at first like Olympiakos would cruise to a routine win. Ironically after going 0-2, it all went downhill from there. 

Bačka Topola pulled a goal back to make it 1-2 almost immediately through midfielder Ifet Djakovac. It was evident that Diego Martinez’s men were starting to lose control of the game, which was optimised by the sending off of Andreas Ndoj via a straight red card, putting a spanner in the Spaniard's game plan. 

In added time Bačka Topola found the equaliser they had been hunting for as Miloš Pantović scored to make it 2-2 and compound Olympiakos’ frustration at having thrown away a 0-2 lead in a must-win game in Europe. 

West Ham 

The Hammers faced their toughest test of the group stages yet upon travelling to Bundesliga side Freiburg. In an even game overall, David Moyes's side took the early lead through Lucas Paqueta, putting the wayside ahead. Within five minutes of the second half starting, however, Fireburg caught the Irons sleeping and Roland Sallai equalised for the German side. 

With Just over an hour played James Ward-Prowse, from a corner, found the head of Nayef Aguerd to put the away side back in front. The match ended 1-2 with West Ham continuing their long unbeaten run in Europe and a good start to the Europa League group stages.

Weekend Results 

Olympiakos

Without going into too much for the nitty gritty issues involved with the match that was played this weekend, in short, Olympiakos hosted arch-rivals Panathinaikos in the derby of eternal enemies. 

The Prasini were the better side in the first half, even taking an early lead through Georgios Vagiannidis after Olympiakos' lapse in concentration again in defence. After the restart, Thrylos started brightly and were rewarded for their early efforts with Mady Camara equalising. 

After this however, the match was halted after a firecracker was thrown in the direction of the Panathinaikos players, who were warming up in the substitute's area. The firecracker landed near Spanish fullback Junakar who went down injured. 

In all the chaos, after the players left the pitch, and after two and a half hours of waiting the referee suspended the game. The courts will decide whether the match is played on a different date or whether Olympiakos lose the match 0-3 and are docked one point as punishment.    

West Ham 

After the return to the Premier League from the international break, West Ham travelled to play Aston Villa at Villa Park. The Villains struck in the first half-hour with Douglas Luiz opening the scoring for the home side.

 As the second half got underway, a penalty was given, which was converted by Luiz to get his brace of the match and make it 2-0 to Aston Villa. David Moyes's men responded well, by pulling a goal back through Jarrod Bowen. 

It was Villa that would seal the win, however, with Ollie Watkins reinstating their two-goal cushion and Leon Bailey making it 4-1 a minute before added time to end a disappointing afternoon for the Hammers and their travelling supporters.    

 

Final Thoughts

As stated before this is the biggest test of the season so far for Olympiakos for many reasons. The financial difference in squad value between Thrylos and West Ham. The frustrating start to the Europa League campaign which now Diego Martinez and his squad must get something from either of these two games against the Premier League side. More recently with the potential outcome of the court case involving Panathinaikos, hanging over the club and the supporters. 

All of these factors make it an even more difficult task for the Piraeus side than it already was. But Olympiakos are capable of magic moments against superior teams on paper at home. 

The last time David Moyes took Manchester United to Karaiskakis nearly 10 years ago in the Champions League round of 16, it was Thrylos who came out on top winning 2-0. Arsenal, whom Olympiakos has faced 12 times, has also come undone in Piraeus when the North London club travelled there previously. 

This Olympiakos team, as has been mentioned many times this season already, is still in transition and fully finding itself. The injury setback with Nicolas Fieire and the suspension of Andreas Ndoj makes the task all the more difficult. 

But Thrylos, if fully focused, is capable of causing an upset win over West Ham and ending their long unbeaten streak in Europe, to in turn kick-start the Piraeus side's European campaign. 

@SteveKountourou

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