Ferencváros TC vs Olympiakos:

UEFA Conference League Playoff Preview

By Stephen Kountourou

UEFA Conference League Playoff Second Leg: 22/02/24

Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time

Venue: Ferencváros Stadion 

Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 2 HD

If there was a way to make the best possible impression on Olympiakos supporters, it would be the start to life in Piraeus Jose Luis Mendilibar has made as the new manager. Not only has the Basque native got victories in both of his first two games in charge, one at home in Europe and the other being a convincing derby win away in Thessaloniki, but he has breathed new life into a Thrylos team that looked down and out before the Super League playoffs had even begun. 

While fans of the Piraeus side cannot get too ahead of themselves, it is a breath of fresh air to see the team playing without fear, without the weight of the red and white shirt and working together as a team rather than just a group of individuals slapped together. 

But these early successes will only define Olympiakos’ season if they build on this and get better with every game, and they are not out of the woods yet. Travelling to Hungary, with a slim lead over hosts Ferencvaros, is far from a comfortable position if Thrylos wishes to progress to the UEFA Conference League round of 16.

Last time in the UECL

A late goal from El Kaabi sealed Thrylos a 1-0 win over Ferencvaros and another famous European night in Karaiskaki, ending the Hungarian's unbeaten run in Europe in Jose Luis Mendilibar’s managerial debut at the club.

Thrylos warmed into both halves, and despite some good efforts from the away side to score, the hosts held firm, creating chances of their own, and successfully stifling Ferencvaros' attack, particularly their dangerman Barnabás Varga. Ayoub El Kaabi arguably had some of the best chances to put Thrylos ahead but squandered two golden opportunities to break the deadlock. 

Mendilibar’s game management shined through with the introduction of Podence in the second half giving his team the boost they needed to push for an opener. With seven minutes of normal time to play, Kostas Fortounis’ diagonal pass found Rodinei, whose ensuing cross was pinpointed right to the feet of El Kaabi. The third time was the charm for the Moroccan striker, who finally got his goal and put Olympiakos ahead, sealing a famous night in Karaiskaki in front of the returning home fans.  

The derby against PAOK 

After the Super League Council rejected Olympiakos’ and PAOK’s proposal to postpone the weekend’s derby match, the game was ultimately played as normal in Toumba. In what felt like revenge for the 4-2 defeat in Karaiskaki, Thrylos returned the favour by defeating the hosts in Thessaloniki 1-4. 

The opener from Fran Navarro was cancelled out by Kiril Despedov’s controversial equaliser in the first half. Daniel Podence put the travelling side back in front in the second half with super sub, Ayoub El Kaabi, scoring a brace in the last ten minutes to wrap up a statement victory for Olympiakos. 

Once again, Mendilibar managed a tough fixture excellently, by exploiting PAOK’s weaknesses as well as making the right substitutions which then positively influenced the match. The midfield trio of Andre Horta, Santiago Hezze and Chiquinho in particular is what Olympiakos has lacked for a long time, that being the effective transition from covering the defence to joining in on the attack. 

Interview with a Ferencvaros supporter

I was able to speak with Ferencvaros supporter, Fülöp Takács, about his thoughts on the game in Piraeus and expectations for the return leg.

What were your thoughts on the performance of Ferencvaros in Piraeus?

“The performance from Fradi was positive for at least an hour, away from home you always expect the home team to take control so I thought it was extremely nice to see us involved in such a cagey match for about 70 minutes of play. 

There was a point early in the second half when I thought we had better chances in both halves. Managing the result and securing a draw seemed to take priority in the last 15 minutes and it was a little frustrating to see us retreat and eventually concede. Overall, I think a 1-0 loss is not a bad result to be taking home from Piraeus.”

Who in your opinion were the standout players for you in the first leg?

“I thought Rodinei was a really strong outlet for Olympiacos who Fradi will have to keep an eye on. El Kaabi was also quite persistent. From Fradi, I thought that Dibusz's form was deserving of a first-choice Hungarian national team goalkeeper spot. 

Ramirez, Abu Fani, and Varga also showed some good quality. I feel the latter of the two should have stayed on for the final few minutes.”

What was the reaction from the media and fans in Hungary after the defeat?

“There was some frustration after the defeat but aimed more so at the refereeing, especially by fans. There is an overall sense of anticipation for the reverse tie in Hungary, and the media and fans are massively expectant of a positive result because of the home advantage. 

The fact that Fradi have negotiated with the Hungarian FA as is customary for most Hungarian sides involved in European competitions, to cancel their league match and be able to focus fully on advancing in Europe.”

How confident are you of Ferencvaros recovering in the second leg?

“I am quietly confident that Fradi will overcome the deficit.  A fully packed Groupama Aréna is going to be waiting for Olympiacos and it is going to be quite a hostile atmosphere to play in. 

A week-long rest for Fradi also makes me feel that Fradi and the Hungarian FA have stacked the cards in our favour as much as they possibly can, whereas Olympiacos had to play PAOK on Sunday.”

Are Thrylos finally on the right track?

The positive feeling has started to return to fans of the Piraeus side and they are rightfully encouraged by what they have seen. Going from the poor tactics, game management and one-notes football of Carlos Carvalhal, to the last two results in Mendilibar is night and day. The players look eager to fight on both fronts, in the league and Europe and to finish the season as strong as possible. 

It is still early days, however, something that Mendilibar was very quick to tell his players after the victory against PAOK. These wins are encouraging but will mean nothing unless they are built upon. Has Olympiakos finally got it right, after two seasons of chaos? Only time and patience will tell. 

The objective now is Ferencvaros, and with a slim lead over the Hungarian champions, Thrylos will fly to Budapest hoping to finish off the tie in style and progress to the next round.

@SteveKountourou

Hellas Football