Round 25 Preview – Round of Fire

Round 25 Preview – Round of Fire

By Greg Gavalas

The playoff system brought in this season where the top 6 play off for the title and the bottom 8 play out for relegation means most matches have a heavy bearing on them in Round 25 of the Greek Super League.

Match of the round is none other than the much anticipated top of the table clash between PAOK and Olympiakos with the game scheduled for Sunday night at PAOK’s Toumbastadium and the highest of security measured have been brought in and we hope to not see scenes from past seasons in Thessaloniki again.

Saturday

Asteras Tripolis vs Panathinaikos

This is a big game for Asteras who have managed to go from 12th place earlier in the season to 7th now and fighting for that 6th spot which could mean European Football next season.

The team from Tripoli have shown the best from outside the top 5 but they now face a hard task against Panathinaikos who had a confidence building win last week against Panetolikos.

Both teams are ok with injuries although one wonders what the effect on Yiannis Alafouzos telling PAO coach, GiorgosDonis that he won’t be part of any decision making will have on the squad.

An Asteas win and OFI lose (in Athens against AEK) would put the home team in the 6 by the end of the round so everything is on the line at the Theodoros KolokotronisStadium.

Prediction – Hard to pick but I’ll go with a big home win to Asteras

Lamia vs Aris

After going down to AEK at home 1-0 one senses Aris will be out looking for blood given the clubs reaction to the AEK loss. In their way, a very stubborn Lamia team.

It’s been a tough start to 2020 for Lamia, after selling their top scorer, Rogerio Thuram, they have not won a game since early January and goals have been very hard to come by with just 3 goals in 8 games since the turn of the decade, that’s nopretty reading.

For Aris this game will be about breaking down a stubborn defence and really making the most of any counter attack when Lamia do attack, expect Nicolas Diguiny to start up front after the injury to Brown Ideye last week.

Prediction – Aris 1-0

Sunday

Panetolikos vs Panionios

This is the start of 2 big derby matches between the two teams that have occupied the bottom of the Super League table all season, this is a derby as both teams will be fighting for their lives to avoid last place which results in automatic relegation to the Greek Second Division – Super League 2 (SL2).

Panetolikos will be looking for a win in order to at the very least, cement 13th place which will lead to a playoff against the runner up in SL2, this means two very important factors for them – 1. They pull away from Panionios by 7 points and the playoff game means little 2. Panetolikos has improved considerably in 2020 and they should be able to see off the SL2 team in a playoff that keeps them in the Super League next season.

Panionios on the other hand, lost their coach, Nick Papavasiliou to a coaching gig in Egypt and their under 19’s coach, Dimitris Koropoulis will take reigns for now.

Both teams fought out hard fought draws in January so Panionios knows their opponent well.

Prediction – Panetolikos win, Dauda on the score sheet

Atromitos vs Xanthi

It’s hard seen this season’s Atromitos who I think is the worst team out of Persiteri in many years which is a real shame as, on paper they look strong and have a good mix of Greeks and good foreigners which usually makes for a good run in Greece.

As I covered last week, Atromitos has not scored a goal since the 11th of January and have now lost 5 matches in a row so how long Savvas Pantelidis has at the club would be on shaky grounds.

Xanthi have not fared much better and ironically their last win also came on the same day their opposition last tasted victory which is rather amazing. Xanthi have been 0-0 specialists in past years and their last two matches have ended just as that. 

One thing is for sure, if either team scores – expect celebrations!

Prediction – Draw, most probably 0-0.

Volos FC vs Larisa

The Thessaliko derby does not have much to play for but for state pride as both teams won’t be making the top 6 but will want to stay away from 13th place.

Volos would be favourite as they have some form behind them whilst Larisa has had a nightmare 2020 with no wins and few goals.

Prediction – Draw

AEK vs OFI

AEK played out a comfortable midweek win in the Greek Cup Quarter Finals and coach Massimo Carrera continued with his player rotation which is working well as results come in.

AEK face an OFI team that, like many of the teams outside the top 5 has really struggled in the New Year, however a 1-0 win last week would have brought some confidence.

Despite OFI’s win last week I think AEK can penetrate the Cretan defence and AEK will want to work on better attacking flow after struggling in patches in their last few games.

Sadly this game will have no fans attending as AEK serve the last of their two match bans.

Prediction – Comfortable AEK win

PAOK vs Olympiakos

The match everyone is waiting for, top of the table clash at a sold out Toumba stadium.

The situation is this, Olympiakos leads PAOK in the standing by 2 points, both teams are at reasonable squad strengths and the officials will be from Germany, for the first time ever, the VAR will also be controlled by foreigners also and they too will be from Germany.

Security will be super tight and that includes a net that will go around the whole stadium so that the match can be played out (yes, this is what it has come to in Greece).

On the field, the game with Arsenal did Olympiakos no favours as they will have had 2 days rest whilst PAOK will be fresher.

PAOK’s form has been rather inconsistent but they did step up against PAO in the Cup and that’s the team and shape that they will need to bring into this game, speed in the likes of Dimitris Limnios and bring on Lazaros Lamprou later in the game.

Olympiakos is a big chance for a huge away win with a strike force of El Arabi and Hassan, both are in good form and if you have Kostas Fortounis start much can happen.

Olympiakos’s weakness is defence, whilst they hold a good record I think they can be vulnerable against better teams.

Prediction – OSFP take a lead and match is abandoned (hope I am wrong on the last part), if the match continues, PAOK equalise.

Hellas Football