Olympiakos Stars of the Season

Olympiakos Stars of the Season 

As Olympiakos move ever closer towards their inevitable 45 League title, a big reason for the teams success both domestically and in Europe has to come down to the recent recruitment of players coming to the port of Piraeus. 

Since the rather calamitous 17/18 season, with a huge overhaul of players both at the beginning and end of the season, the change in scouting has helped Thrylos make much more shrewed acquisitions and while they signed some great players in 18/19, there were others that were sub par, and it was clear that the Erythrolefki was still very much in transition. This season however, Pedro Martins has clearly moulded the team in his own image and playing style and who have now all but stormed to the Greek Super League title, thanks to most new signings from the summer of 2019 and January 2020. 

So, in the blog I will be having a look at the best Olympiakos signings this season, which has both returned Thrylos to the top of Greek football after three years and what has made them a bit of a surprise package in Europe this season. 

Honourable mentions go to Maximiliano Lovera, Lazar Randelovic and Cafu, who have all been decent since their respective arrives to the club but I think for me just don't quite make the cut for me when talking about real impact. I will say that Randelovic especially, while he had an encouraging start, has found it hard to break into the first team since the early part of the season. 

Yussef El Arabi 

Now, I need to get something off my chest. I was convinced that Youssef El-Arabi would not be close to as influential as he has been this season. Being 32 years old at the time and coming towards the theoretical age where a striker is at the end of his peak, I assumed that he would be here just to play a few games in Europe and be second fiddle to Miguel Guerrero and that he would be gone by the end of the season. 

The only thing that sparked my interest was his goal scoring record for his previous club with an eye catching 76 goals in 60 appearances for Qatari side Al-Duhail SC. I am very happy to say that I was wrong. To say that the Moroccans season has been a success is an understatement.

Nearly a year later, he would not only be starting, but be the top scorer of the entire league, currently at 19 goals and joint third highest for assists at 7 at the time of writing. He has also scored vital goals for Olympiakos in Europe, including, important goals during the Champions League qualifiers, a vital late penalty against Red Star Belgrade to put Thrylos into the Europa League and one of the greatest moments in the clubs history with a 120th minute goal against Arsenal. He has hit the back of the net 26 times in all competitions. 

All that on a free transfer! Truly a bargain, truly the best striker the Piraeus side has had since Kostas Mitroglou. I have never been happier to have been proved wrong.

Ruben Semedo

A member of the Portuguese revolution in Piraeus, Ruben Semedo arrived at Olympiakos for a pretty hefty 4.5 Million Euros from Spanish side Villarreal under a bit of a cloud. 

The talented defender, who's brother Nelson plied his trade at Barcelona, was looking for a way to get his career back on track after a couple of questionable incidents and even spending time in prison in 2018. 

I have been aware of both Ruben and his brother for a number of years and while there was the risk of a break down, with previous attitude problems, I was confident his talents could shine through with the help of manager Pedro Martins as well as other Portuguese natives at the club.

The 26 year old has exceeded my expectations this season, being part of a defence that has only conceded 10 goals this season domestically. He has also been vital in Europe and one of the main reasons Olympiakos were able to make the Europa League even scoring the occasional thumping header or tap in when given the opportunity. 

While their have been one of two incidences including a sending off in the Greek giants first leg tie against Wolves, Semedo has well and truly proved himself at the top level and with a number of suitors ready to take him away from Greece, it's very clear to see why he is so highly rated. 

Ahmed Hassan

On his second spell in Piraeus, having been on loan during the 18/19 season Ahmed Hassan, probably would have arrived back at Olympiakos last summer permanently if it had not been for his parent club, Portuguese side Braga's asking price being more then what Thrylos were willing to pay, and with depth at the time in the forward area pretty much covered it seemed as though even a loan was not possible. 

While back at Braga however Hassan sustained injuries that kept him on the sidelined until mid way through the season, by which time the January transfer window had opened and the Egyptian forward was back to full fitness. 

Having sent Spanish striker Geurrero out on loan and the long term injury to Algerian forward Soudani, Olympiakos swooped in and recaptured the fan favourite on a second loan spell, with the option to buy standing at a much more reasonable 2.5 million Euros. 

It looks as though the striker has not only repaid the faith put into him by the Greek League leaders, but is making that option to buy most tempting as Hassan has made himself a very important part of the team during the second half of the season. Primarily coming off of the bench he has contributed to 4 goals in 9 appearances in all competitions since his arrival. 

While not at the club for the entire season, I think that Hassan has more than proved this season that he is a willing and hard working player that Martins and Olympiakos should sign permanently at the end of the season. 

Matieu Valbuena 

If there was a way to best describe Matieu Valbuena's season in Greece this year I would simply say it has been a renascence.  

After spending two years in Turkey with Fenerbahce, the diminutive french midfielder arrived at Olympiakos on a free transfer and with a point to prove. 

Despite being on the cusps of turning 35 years old he became an integral part of the first team early on, primarily playing attacking midfield in place of the injured Kostas Fortounis.

After his first goal for the club being a penalty against Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir the French veteran never looked back, helping his team reach the Champions League scoring and assisting in the 2-2 draw against Spurs. 

In the League Valbuena has truly rolled back the years, topping the assists charts with 13 in 19 games and 8 goals in all competitions. Having already signed a contract extension until 2021, Valbuena both on and off the pitch, is a leading influence that Olympiakos have been crying out for probably since Chori Dominguez left the club and me the Frenchman's resurgence continues. 

Hillel Soudani

Now here's another player I initially had doubts about. After arriving from Olympiakos sister club Nottingham Forest for 2 Million Euros, Hillel Soudani came off the back of an injury plagued campaign at the midlands club after a knee injury in October 2018 keeping him out for the rest of the previous season. 

At the time, I felt that it was an ill advised acquisition due to his previous injury and also wanting to see players like Georgios Masouras, and Lazar Randjelovic given more of an opportunity and until the end of the October 2019 it looked as though that would be the case. 

Soudani was not selected for Olympiakos Champions League squad, was rarely started in the league and did not seem to be in Pedro Martins plans. This is where I have to give huge credit to the Algerian forward who, after finally given his chance to prove himself, took it and never looked back. Soudani showed Martins that he could not only be a reliable contributor having scored 7 and assisting 5 in 19 league games but versatile, playing both on the right midfield and as a second striker, in both positions creating a great partnership with El Arabi. 

Despite his tragic ACL injury in late February 2020, Soudani will definitely have a place in the side when he finally returns to full fitness. 

Jose Sa

Call this one cheating slightly, but Jose Sa was signed permanently last summer so that counts for me. 

The Portuguese Goalkeeper returned to Olympiakos after a successful loan spell with Thrylos the previous season and Pedro Martins was able to get his Portuguese compatriot on a permanent basis for £2.25 Million from Porto. 

Even as early as the Champions League qualifiers, Sa showed his class by keeping 5 clean sheets out of 6 games only conceding in the final game of the playoffs against Krasnodar. 

The ever reliable Keeper has been rock solid in goal, despite the also incredible performances from his defence domestically, has been huge reason for the Piraeus giants defensives solidity this season only conceding 10 goals and keeping 20 clean sheets in 29 matches and helping his side stay undefeated at the time of writing. 

If Jose Sa can keep up this form in future seasons and be kept in Piraeus for a while longer, he could certainly go down as one of Olympiakos greatest ever goalkeepers.     

Ousseynou Ba

Another one I'm technically cheating on but as the player in question was on loan the previous season after we were signed to Olympiakos I am counting it too because he has been that good, step forward, Ousseynou Ba. 

As said before the Senegalese defender actually joined Thrylos in January 2019 from French side Gazelec Ajaccio for 300,000 Euros, but was sent back on loan to his previous club until the end of the season. 

During the current season he has gone from strength to strength, originally starting as 5th choice centre back behind Semedo, Cisse, Meriah, and Papadopoulos but eventually finding his way into the first team, alongside Semedo, after Meriah lost the faith of Pedro Martins, Cisse fell ill long term and Papadopulos at his age, cannot play for 90 minutes anymore.

Quite frankly, he has been brilliant. Since getting consistent game time he has played 16 games in the league and has shown Martins he is a reliable choice in defence with his biggest performance being alongside Cisse in the Europa League round of 32 tie against Arsenal where the pair put on a defensive masterclass to prevent the gunners from going through to the next round. 

With bags of potential and his stock rising Ba has shown that he can be a force in defence for this Olympiakos side.  

The future is bright! 

Hellas Football 

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