Super League Greece 2019/20 Review

Super League Greece 2019/20 Review

The Never Ending Drama

By Stephen Kountourou

The curtain falls on another Greek Super League season and it has been monumental and memorable to say the least, well for me anyway. 2019/20 saw a first title in three years for Olympiakos, PAOK falling short for top spot and losing their undefeated run to rivals Aris, but clinch Champions League football over AEK Athens, the rise of OFI and the fall of Panionios, Greece's oldest football club who were relegated.

The change in format to the domestic league table saw the top six duke it out in the playoffs for European place and the best of the rest in the playouts, fighting to stay in the first tier while also kind of being too good to go down in Atromitos and Asteras Tripolis. Not to mention the long break in between due to the pandemic and the restart with no fans, something fans of Greek football are far more used to then most. The ongoing war of words between the owners of the big four, PAOK deducted points until they were reinstated and Xanthi also losing ground thanks to a twelve point deduction, with the Thracians now having to play a potential relegation playoff match. Quite a drama as always in the Greek football season. But that is why in this rather reflective blog I'll be looking back in greater detail at just what happened from beginning to end of the season in Greece. 

The Two way Title Race

The title race, in all honesty, had more twists and turns then I remember. Olympiakos, baring four match days out of 36 weeks of football, stayed in first place position for the vast majority of the season with champions PAOK capitalising occasionally on Thrylos dropping points, but then they themselves allowing their title rivals to overtake them once more the following week. Credit to PAOK, in the first half of the season they mounted a strong run to keep the Piraeus side on their toes and making every win count to stave off their northern rivals from reclaiming a second league title in a row. I feel as though there were two turning points throughout the season.

 

Despite PAOK finishing calendar year top of the table and winter champions as it is known, their first big knock was the 4-2 loss to Thessaloniki rivals Aris who not only ended PAOK's long undefeated run of matches but gave Olympiakos the opening they needed the following day to defeat their rivals Panathinaikos 1-0, and return to the top of the table. From there the aspromavri were really playing catch up and all eyes were fixed upon the clash between the two giants at the Toumba. There was a lot of anxiety from Olympiakos supporters as PAOK, the previous season, had dispatched Thrylos 3-1 in Thessaloniki, effectively ending Olympiakos hope of catching their northern rivals. Unlike February 2019 however, there was no collapse from the Erythrolefki as they claimed a 0-1 away in through an unfortunate own goal from Dimitris Giannoulis, in almost identical fashion to how Olympiakos lost to PAOK in Piraeus in 2018/19, thanks to a Vukovic own goal.

 

From there it was plain sailing for Thrylos as they went seven points clear of their rivals, and fourteen once PAOK were deducted a further seven points for alleged co ownership with Xanthi. After prolonging the inevitable, due to Covid19, Olympiakos ended their three year wait for a league title after clinching it mathematically against OFI on the 1st of July and with five games to spare. Even though PAOK regained their points that they were initially deducted of, and defeated Olympiakos 0-1 thanks to a 90th minute goal in Piraeus, ending Thrylos hope of finishing the season undefeated; it was too little too late. PAOK, as good as they were, did not hit the heights of the previous campaign and fans of the Piraeus giants, after the last day of the seasons victory over AEK can enjoy their 45th League title and a season to remember after three years of hurt. 

The fight for the Playoffs and Europe

With Olympiakos and PAOK battling it out for the title, the race to finish in the top six and a chance at European football was exchanged between a fair few clubs. 

 

AEK, seemed to self implode early on in the season. The 2018 champions were out of the race for the title early on, struggling until the end of November to establish themselves and stay consistent until, after going through two managers, they finally settled with Massimo Carrera, who guided them into the playoffs comfortably in third place. The rest of the campaign for AEK would see Enosis failing to capitalise on PAOK's inconsistent form and also maybe getting a bit unlucky that the Thessaloniki side had seven points returned to them having been the second best team in the playoffs on form but still finishing third and having to settle for Europa League football next season.

 

Panathinaikos like their Athens rivals, also struggled for form early on in the season. With the club banned from Europe regardless of where they finished due to their previous financial situation, they were even hovering dangerously above the relegation zone briefly until, under the guidance of manager Giorgios Donis, they were ably to find some relatively decent form to claw their way back up the table and finishing the regular season in 4th place. With one of the youngest squads in the division and nothing really else to play for but pride, the Prasini remained competitive enough to keep their fourth place spot and sadly Donis managed his last game for the club as they played their last game of the season in an exciting 3-2 win against OFI.

 

Aris too had a rather up and down league campaign. Much like AEK, they went through two managers, after a very inconsistent regular season performances until German manager Michael Oenning arrived to steady the ship and guide the Kitrinomavroi into the last playoff place on final game week before the league split even defeating PAOK 4-2 at home and ending their city rivals undefeated run. Playing a really progressive style of football they still lack enough quality to really compete with the big four sides but they are going in the right direction under their latest coach and maybe he can steer them towards bigger and better things. 

 

OFI Crete were the definite surprise of all the sides to squeeze into the top six this season. Having given fairly inexperienced manager, and former OFI player, Giorgios Simos, the job at the start of the season he was able to keep them fairly comfortably in the top half of the table for the majority of the regular season, even finishing above Aris on head to head before the split. Despite not winning a single game in the Playoffs, Ómilos were able to guarantee themselves into a major European competition for the first time since 2000/01, thanks to the banning of Panathinaikos by UEFA.

The Best of the Rest and The Possible End of a Pioneer

In the midst of the fight at the top of the table, mid to the bottom clashes throughout the season were equally as fascinating. Asteras Tripolis and Atromitos two of the biggest 'best of the rest' clubs really under performed during the vast majority of the regular season. Neither of them really challenged to finish in the top six ahead of Aris and OFI and were resigned to finishing in the Play out round of the league season where of course, they both duking it out to see who was the best of a mad situation, both being too good with too talented squads to be relegated. 

The two real challengers for the last two places were Larrisa and Xanthi, who both, despite having great starts to the season and were punching above their weight, fell short in the last few knockings of the regular season and they too were forced to settle with the Play outs. Xanthi supporters in particular can afford to feel a tad hard done by, with their side sitting comfortably in mid table, they were deducted twelve points for the scandal of being co owned by PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis and while the league runners up had their points reinstated, Xanthi's points were not. Instead they found themselves second bottom and waiting for a possible relegation playoff fixture that may or may not take place. 

Newly Promoted Volos FC having started the season too on a high after reaching the top flight, too fell away and actually looked a possibility for the relegation play off place, but ultimately finished in 11th, a respectable finish for them. Both Lamia and Panetolikos struggled this season, with the latter missing out on the relegation playoff place in the last two weeks of the Playout season but both retained their SuperLeague status.

The saddest story of all is of course, Panionios, who after failing to gain a SuperLeague licence for 19/20 season were deducted six points before the beginning of the season and have been rooted to the bottom of the table since. A late showing of life from the Nea Smyrni side, gave them a slim chance of staying up, but it was too little too late, and with a 0-0 draw on the final day of the season, and unless there is a possible change in league format for next season that could potentially save them, the oldest club in Greece are relegated mathematically for the first time this century. As someone who has blogged about this club's long and fascinating history I can only hope that, if they do remain relegated, that they return sooner rather than later. 

To finish I want to ask myself the question, did I think the new formatting of the league worked, and in short, yes and no. While it was good for the sides in mid table and below as it gave sides more of a chance theoretically to stay up it gave nothing to sides who were too good to go down, as said before. clubs like Asteras and Atromitos and arguably even Larissa are the kind of sides that would have benefited from the league staying whole, as even though they would have had to face the big 4, they could still I feel have had more to play for especially after the restart. 

The same goes for the Playoffs for me. Not that I am complaining in any way, but Olympiakos being that far ahead on points means there was not a chance for the other big hitters in Greece to mount a challenge, although this was also down to the fact the Thrylos were imperious this season. Also this is no disrespect to Aris or OFI as I very much admire their style of play, the way they are run as clubs and if they can build on this season they could potentially do great things for Greek football; but their season was effectively over too as they struggled to take their games to the next level and truly challenge anyone in the top half of the table. Also on that note, the derbies between all of these giants should be massive occasions and the fact that they played each other four times each just in the domestic season alone, with Olympiakos playing PAOK six times in domestic competitions, and AEK for what will be five time, thanks to the Greek Cup final; is crazy to say the least. 

With all that being said, did I as a fan get excited for every fixture knowing it was a pretty big team my side had to face, yes. Did I take extra notice of the other half of the table because it was split from the top half to see how the other teams did, yes. Do I think that it may not be perfect but still better than the old playoffs format, definitely. I would honestly have to be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the season this year, despite all the controversy that follows Greek football, I always like to see the light at the end of the tunnel and 19/20 has only got me more excited for next season and what the never ending drama of football in Greece brings.   

Hellas Football

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