Hellas Football

 Olympiakos: The Legendary European Adventure By Stephen Kountourou Say it with me now….Olympiakos are champions of Europe. Thrylos’ became the first Greek senior men's football team to win a major European trophy, in dramatic fashion on the 29th of May 2024, after claiming the UEFA Europa Conference League over Fiorentina. Never in the 12 years of supporting this club did I think I would ever see us lift a European title.  We were the nearly men of the international stage, always missing out in the big moments, being dumped out by smaller clubs or succumbing to the mercy of poor refereeing decisions.  But Jose Luis Mendilibar, this wonderful man, who came into a club on the verge of having nothing to play for, in three months not only turned everything around but gave us the ultimate gift as football supporters.  The mantra for Olympiakos supporters was always, “We Keep On Dreaming”. Well, the Basque coach helped us dream bigger and made them a reality. But before I...

 Olympiakos vs Fiorentina:  UEFA Europa Conference League Final Preview By Stephen Kountourou UEFA Conference League Final: 29/05/24 Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time Venue: Agia Sophia Stadium Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 1 HD Is it finally our time? In 12 years of supporting Olympiakos, I have witnessed unmitigated success that most football supporters can only dream of. Eight league titles, three Greek Cups, three domestic doubles and victories over giants in European football including Manchester United, Arsenal, Benfica, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan just to name a few.  Yet, before this season, there was always a sense of untapped potential for what Thrylos could be capable of on the international stage. Always so close to a potential run in European competition, only to be defeated by an underdog, or becoming the makers of our downfall at the crucial moments, poor refereeing, losing on away goals or having an aggregate score overturned. You name it.  ...

 Super League: XI of the 2023-24 season By Andreas Mitsis                        The party in Thessaloniki and at Toumba as PAOK celebrated the league title. Drama was only the first name when PAOK managed to defeat city rivals Aris at Charilaou in the last round and thus win their fourth league title of all time. Join us as the undersigned sums up the season as per tradition and selects the players who performed best in the 2023-24 Super League. Last season's league breakdown was the most exciting in years and days. Few could have guessed that we would immediately surpass last year in 2023-24 in terms of table drama. All of the big club quartet (PAOK, AEK, Olympiakos & Panathinaikos) were in the battle for the league title right up until the remaining two rounds of the playoff.  The decision only came during the last round on Sunday (19/05) and PAOK would draw the longest straw. Needing an away win against city r...

Olympiakos vs Aston Villa: UEFA Conference League Semi-Finals Second Leg Preview By Stephen Kountourou UEFA Conference League Semi-Final Second Leg: 09/05/24 Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time Venue: Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 2 HD A two-legged tie can be one of the most nail-biting formats for club football supporters. Whether your club wins or loses the first leg, the anticipation for the conclusion of the second leg, and who progresses or bows out, is just as intense.  Either way, it’s the hope that kills you. The hope for progression with your team ahead on aggregate or the hope of overturning a deposit to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Olympiakos has experienced both this season, having famously comeback from the seemingly impossible against Maccabi Tel Aviv, and this Thursday against Aston Villa where they lead 4-2 on aggregate with the chance of reaching the first European final in the club's history.  The job is far from done...

 Aston Villa vs Olympiakos:  UEFA Europa Conference League Semi-Finals Preview By Stephen Kountourou UEFA Conference League Semi-Final First Leg: 02/05/24 Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time Venue: Villa Park Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 2 HD It's Crunch time. The tale end. The last innings. In short, Olympiakos find themselves entering the month of May still fighting on all fronts. While it is an unlikely dream, Thrylos can be crowned Super League champions if they win their last three matches of the season with no slip-ups.  In Europe, the Piraeus side is two matches away from potentially the first final in the club's nearly 100-year history. But getting there is not simple.  Premier League side Aston Villa stands in the way of the Piraeus side and the final at the Agia Sofia Stadium in Athens. Jose Luis Mendilibar and Unai Emery, two former European winning managers will clash to see whose team reaches the promised land.  With the first leg in Birmingham looming...

 Olympiakos U19: Champions of Europe By Stephen Kountourou The first in history  The first Greek side to win a UEFA competition. Saying that out loud feels strange….but it is true. Even UEFA proclaimed on their official social media that this was the case. Olympiakos U19 achieved something incredible on the 22nd of April 2024. Champions of the UEFA Youth League. Champions of Europe and a great example of what can be achieved in Greek football when youth are allowed to develop and flourish.  Sotris Silaidopoulos and his players deserve huge credit for doing what no other Greek club side at any level has been able to achieve and they deserve every bit of praise. But how did the journey to the final in Nyom begin? The run to the final Due to the group stages mirroring the men's senior Champions League group stages, and the Olympiakos senior team not participating in that tournament, the U19s, as Greek champions, began in the Domestic Champions Path. This was their chance to ...

  Fenerbahce vs Olympiakos: UEFA Conference League Quarter-Finals Second Leg Preview By Stephen Kountourou UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final Second Leg: 16/04/24 Kick-off Time: 22:00 Greek Time Venue: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium  Where to Watch: Cosmote Sport 4 HD The almost great victory in Piraeus Olympiakos ran out 3-2 winners in front of a raucous Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. Kostas Fortounis opened the scoring with the goal of the round after a mistake from the Febahce defence, allowing the Thrylos captain to put the home side ahead. cruisingJovetic continued his rich vein of form with a second just after the half-hour mark. After Chiqunho made it 3-0 in the second half, Thrylos were cruising.  However, a poor mistake from Panagiotis Retsos gave the away side a lifeline penalty, which was slotted home by Dusan Tadic. With a way back into the tie, Fenerbahce took advantage of Olympiakos losing control of the match and lowered the deficit further through İrfan Kahveci'...

PAOK vs Club Brugge: UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final Preview By Konstantinos Massaras. Facing a two goal deficit in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie, nobody seems to understand how PAOK have managed to survive in this tournament for so long, especially since they began in the Conference League second qualifying round. That is because nobody outside of Greece has seen this team play for more than two matches. This season, PAOK have shown time and time again that they are as talented as they have ever been, but have not always been able to put it together. In Europe however, they have been practically perfect. Razvan Lucescu has made it clear, judging by his lineup selections, that he is going all in for Europe this season. This past weekend, in PAOK’s biggest domestic match of the season thus far, he did not start Taison, Despodov, or Ozdoev, in order to give them some rest for these next two matches against Club Brugge. PAOK is extremely healthy, and in good form. We know h...