Cue two rather embarrassing losses to the remaining Greek giants on the European stage, Panathinaikos crashing to a 3-1 home defeat against Galatasaray and AEK thrashed 4-0 at Goodison Park by a struggling, understrength Everton outfit.

While Panathinaikos fans will question their club’s grandiose spending in the transfer market during the off-season, with so many, many millions of euros yielding not one proven centre-back – a crucial ingredient in any top side, in any league, domestic or continental – AEK fans will simply need to accept that they are reflecting of the comparatively poor standard and pedestrian nature of the Greek domestic game.

An ordinary English Premier League side playing largely in 2nd or 3rd gear brushed one of Greece’s ‘Big Three’ aside with little effort, while a competent but unspectacular Turkish side exposed defensive frailties with worrying ease (though the Greens at least looked impressive going forward).

It’s been yet another reality check for the Greek Super League and all concerned this week…

Entertainment was abound in a Thessaloniki derby at the Kaftanzoglio as home side Iraklis played out an eventful 2-2 draw with Aris, the former coming from behind twice during the match a 45-minute delay to the match following the antics of one particularly exasperated pitch invader, in one of the more bizarre incidents in the European domestic season thus far.

The match restarted though, despite Aris goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis looking particularly fired up in the wake of his tete-a-tete, as the two sides exchanged goals in front of the sort of typically partisan and vocal crowd expected in northern Greece.

Other matches of the day were slightly more subdued, Panionios held to a 1-1 draw at home by Ergotelis and new-boys Kavala beaten 1-0 at home by Asteras Tripolis.

I’ll leave you with videos of the derby action though…Arshavin’s finish was good but it just doesn’t have quite the same effect – and, let’s face it, wouldn’t look quite as good alongside a Billy Idol track:

confirming that Matt Derbyshire would be making his stay permanent

The fact that a club such as Olympiakos can supposedly convince Mellberg to shun a return to the lucrative English Premier League – where European football awaits with Aston Villa – is a sign of their pulling power relative to other Greek clubs.

Only Panathinaikos have anything approaching the same recruiting abilities and financial strength, though even they have so far struggled to match their fierce rivals (the capture of the functional Orlando Engelaar hardly compares to Olympiakos’ spending).

The Piraeus giants build for Champions League; the likes of PAOK, AEK Athens and Aris build for the Super League and therein lies the difference.

Next year will likely be another where Olympiakos win the Greek title with minimal effort, despite the fact that they will be managed by the inexperienced Temuri Ketsbia (who, as if to emphasize the point, has been brought in with the sole objective of bringing success in the UEFA Champions League as he had done with unfancied Cypriot Anorthosis Famagusta last season).

Mellberg and Derbyshire probably won’t be the last of the captures bankrolled by cashed-up owner Sokratis Kokkalis, who appears ever-willing to make the financial sacrifices in search of European glory (for which the return is potentially great).

With Panathinaikos still some way behind – though admittedly, slowly returning to the same level as their rivals – it appears as though the port city club are set to win their 13th championship in 14 years as those outside the top-two scrap for Europa League spots and a possible Champions League berth (given the current plight of AEK Athens, the term ‘Top Three’ hardly applies).

One positive of course is the return of Aris and PAOK to their prestigious former selves, offering some semblance of resistance in the north that has traditionally been one of the few genuine challenges to Athenian dominance.

But theirs is a mere footnote to a period of Greece’s domestic history that has been utterly dominated and monopolized by Olympiakos and that appears set to continue with another summer spending spree that dwarfs any other in Greece.

Who next, Ronaldo?

The race for UEFA Champions League football in Greece is extremely tight after Round 2 of the Greek Super League playoffs, with one point separating Panathinaikos, PAOK and AEK Athens.

On Wednesday evening, Panathinaikos played out a dramatic 1-1 draw with Athenian rivals AEK, whilst PAOK managed a 2-0 win away against Larissa.

The latter are now at the bottom of the play-off ladder after losing their opening two matches, the first a 3-2 defeat away against AEK at the weekend.

Goals from Ibrahima Bakayoko and Sergio Conceicao moved PAOK into equal first with Panathinaikos, after the Thessaloniki outfit had lost their first game at home to the Athenians.

Having finished second in the league this season, it would be difficult to deny that PAOK are perhaps the club most deserved of playing at the highest level of European football next season, with their fine form on the pitch paralleled by a resurrection off it.

Champions League football would be a landmark moment for the leadership of club president Theodoros Zagorakis – Greece’s Euro 2004-winning captain – who has helped to engineer a phase of financial rebuilding following a period of difficulty for the traditional powerhouse of the north.

Their victory in Thessaly takes them to six points – they began the mini-league phase with three by virtue of their high league finish – along with Henk ten Cate’s Panathinaikos, who will be keen to repeat their success this season on the European stage again.

They were held however city rivals AEK, who took the lead through a Nacho Scocco free kick before Panathinaikos striker Dimitris Salpigidis had a penalty saved by Sebastian Saja.

Pana were then awarded another penalty that Brazilian winger Gabriel converted, his captain Giorgos Karagounis hitting the crossbar with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Panathinaikos host Larissa on Sunday, while PAOK welcome AEK Athens to the Toumba.

By: Georgios Kioussis

A sumptuous Giorgos Karagounis strike three minutes from time lifted Panathinaikos over PAOK on Matchday 1 of the Greek Super League Playoffs, Sunday evening at Toumba Stadium. As the match seemed destined for a goalless draw, the midfield maestro capped off his side’s otherwise docile performance with a determined piece of running and a neat chip over PAOK keeper Kostas Chalkias.

Until then, the proceedings were decidedly yellow and red, referee Anastasios Kakos issuing nine cautions and one sending off, when Pablo Garcia kicked at and elbowed Simao on the stroke of halftime.

Prior to being reduced to ten men, the outfit from Thessaloniki looked far more committed than their Athens-based rivals. Fernando Santos’ men bossed the midfield with relative ease, their opponents struggling to establish tempo or possession. Indeed, all Pana had to show in the early going was a Loukas Vyntra header inside ten minutes, which looped harmlessly over Chalkias’ crossbar.

For all their midfield dominance, the Double-Headed Eagle of the North, deficient of the necessary guile in the final third, failed to make it count. A Vieirinha strike from the edge of the penalty area at the half hour mark was one of the few chances fashioned, but the Portuguese winger lacked the composure to keep his effort down.

Ironically, the best opportunity of the first half fell to the visitors two minutes before the break, Ante Rukavina racing free behind a static PAOK defense. The Croatian forward did well to round Chalkias, but skewed his effort into the side netting despite looking at an open goal.

From there, tempers would flare, Pablo Garcia ultimately seeing red following his off-the-ball incident with Simao. The Uruguayan midfielder, infamous for punching Olympiakos’ Diogo earlier in the season, would not leave without protest, though replays justified the referee’s decision.

Hoping to build on the numerical advantage, Pana boss Henk ten Cate introduced the attack-minded Sotiris Ninis and Cleyton at the start of the second half. But aside from a Ninis strike on 52 minutes that proved comfortable for Chalkias, the Greens seemed devoid of any sort of ambition.

Instead, the hosts continued to pour forward, Olivier Sorlin just missing the target with a curling effort on 55 minutes. Spurred on by fervent home support, the Northerners proceeded to pin their opponents deep in their own third, winning a series of corners, the most inviting of which fell to Zlatan Muslimovic 11 minutes from time. The striker glanced his close-range header toward goal, but Pana keeper Mario Galinovic was perfectly placed to produce a fine reaction save.

That set up Karagounis’ winner, which the midfielder did exceptionally well to take. After jinking past several markers, the Greek international spotted Chalkias off his line and elegantly lobbed the goalkeeper from just outside the area.

It was a goal that came very much against the run of play, but it will make little difference to Henk ten Cate’s men, who now move ahead of their opponents and into first place in the playoff standings.

PAOK FC 1-0 Panathinaikos FC
Karagounis 87′

Yellow Cards:
PAOK FC — Sznaucer 42′, Muslimovic 45′ + 1′, Veron 82′.
Panathinaikos FC — Simao 12′, Sarriegi 45′ + 1′, Vyntra 45′ + 1′, Gilberto 45′ + 1′, Ninis 56′, Karagounis 82′.

PAOK (Fernando Santos) – Chalkias, Lino, Sznaucner (89′ Bakayoko), Malezas, Contreras, Pablo Garcia, Sorlin, Conceicao, Ivic, Vieirinha (46′ Veron), Muslimovic.

Panathinaikos (Henk Ten Cate) – Galinovic, Nilsson, Vyntra, Sarriegi, Moon, Simao (46′ Cleyton), Gilberto, Karagounis, Ivanschitz (46′ Ninis), Rukavina (74′ Salpigidis), Mantzios.

Referee: Anastasios Kakos

Venue: Toumba Stadium, Thessalonki, Greece.

The last of the quartet to qualify, Larissa will be hoping to leave their mark on the Super League play-offs and earn a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

A slim 1-0 win over Levadeiakos on the last day of the season was the final prerequisite for Larissa’s play-off dream to come true. Just barely qualifying for the play-offs – which they just missed out on last year – Larissa will be keen to make a mends this season.

An inconsistent first half to the season was erased when Larissa’s winter investments translated into success in the standings. The blockbuster additions of Stelios Giannakopoulos from Hull City and Sasa Ilic from Red Bull Salzburg have boosted a side desperate for European exposure.

Their chance to take advantage of a gateway to Europe – or at least the UEFA Europa League – arrives now. The Alkazar Stadium in Larissa will be a motivational venue for the Vyssini, but it will still be an up-hill battle if they are to beat the likes of AEK, Panathinaikos, and PAOK.

Capping the season with a five-game unbeaten run, it was Larissa’s determination that secured them a spot in the play-offs. Now they’ll have to groom that determination as a driving point to European competition.

Form

Mar 14.  Larissa 0-0 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Mar 22.  Iraklis 0-2 Larissa (Greek Super League)
Apr 5.  Larissa 0-0 Panionios  (Greek Super League)
Apr 12.  Olympiacos 0-1 Larissa  (Greek Super League)
Apr 26.  Levadeiakos 0-1 Larissa  (Greek Super League)

Team News

The injury bug has taken a definitive toll on Larissa as Poland striker Maciej Zurawski and Greek midfielder Giorgos Fotakis, have been ruled out for their side’s opener against AEK this Sunday. The Vyssini camp will be hoping both players recover from their injuries in a timely fashion.

Key Player

It is very rare for a player of Turkish descent to make a desired impact in the Greek Super League, but Tumer Metin’s influence may be a special case. Having only made nine appearances all season hasn’t stopped the former Fenerbahce man from playing a crucial role in Larissa’s success this season. He scored the winner in his side’s win on the ultimate day of the season, and with Zurawski unavailable for an indefinite amount of time, Metin will be relied on to provide from the midfield.

Prediction

High hopes linger in Larissa, but their talent in comparison to their competitors is worrisome. Although their home fixtures will be closely contested, their endeavours away from the Alkazar Stadium are likely to be detrimental.

4th Place.

It was a renaissance season for PAOK, but success in the play-offs is still desired as Thessaloniki’s only representative aims to bring the UEFA Champions League back to Northern Greece next season.

A busy summer transfer period paid off for PAOK; the Thessaloniki giants shocked many en route to a second place finish behind league winners Olympiacos. Despite the achievement, much is still expected of Fernando Santos’ men – especially with the club’s most loyal supporters calling for a long awaited return to European competition, and speculatively the Champions League.

Challenging for top spot in the Super League, PAOK remained a consistent threat to the Greek crown for most of the season. With an aggressive attack, and stingy defense, PAOK challenged the grip of the traditional trio of top sides – Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and AEK.

Now comes PAOK’s biggest test, a six round play-off against their closest rivals for a shot at qualifying for Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Although there is no silverware up for grabs, the Dikefale will feel top spot at the end of the play-offs will be a reward in itself.

No matter their placing in the play-offs, PAOK are guaranteed a return to at least the UEFA Europa League next season. With that token, one of the side’s now pushing Greece’s ‘Big Three’ to the limits will return to European competition for the first time since being banned during the 2006/2007 season – a punishment inflicted by UEFA after many debts were left unsettled by the club’s former ownership.

Form

Mar 14.  Larissa 0-0 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Mar 22.  PAOK 2-1 Thrasyoulos (Greek Super League)
Apr 5.  Asteras Tripolis 0-2 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Apr 12.  Skoda Xanthi 1-2 PAOK  (Greek Super League)
Apr 26.  PAOK 4-1 Panserraikos  (Greek Super League)

Team News

The PAOK camp might be a bit short on strikers after Ilias Anastasakos and Lambros Choutos both missed practice on Friday. Anastasakos is slated to resume training with the club this coming Monday, while Choutos’ fitness is indefinite.

Key Player

Zlatan Muslimovic scored seven goals in his first season in the Greek Super League to lead the team – along with two joint leaders – in scoring. His strength on and off the ball will be a key attribute if PAOK are to stay competitive; meaning the Bosnian will likely play a crucial role in PAOK’s play-off plans.

Prediction

The season will be a success for PAOK, no matter their result in the play-offs. But with a competitive climate in Thessaloniki, PAOK will be keen to seek for first place. Nonetheless, the side might not have enough experience to outlast their rivals in a bid for the top prize.

2nd Place.

Tumer Metin’s first half strike against Levadeiakos gave Larissa three crucial points as the Vyssini snapped up the last playoff spot on Sunday, two points ahead of battlers Aris FC – who also won 3-2 at home against Panthrakikos.

Nonetheless, Aris won’t be competing for European spots as they did last year. Instead, alongside Larissa, Aris’ bitter rivals PAOK are joined by Panathinaikos and AEK Athens as the other three sides rounding up the playoff contingent.

PAOK finished second in the league, eight points behind Champions Olympiacos, while Panathinaikos finished in third, a further two points behind. AEK clinched their berth in the playoffs weeks ago with their fourth place rank, but their preparations for the playoffs will likely take a back seat as an upcoming clash with Olympiacos in the Greek Cup Final awaits the Athenian outfit.

The playoffs commence on May 10^th, but each side will map out their plans for European competition as early as this Tuesday when the Super League commission completes the draw for the playoff round. No matter the order, PAOK will have the advantage – even if it is as slim as a point – as the Thessaloniki based side will start the playoff round with three points. Panathinaikos will begin with two points, AEK with one point to their name, while Larissa will start from scratch with zero points.

With plenty of disappointment to take to Greece’s second tier, OFI Crete will look to restore at least an ounce of pride when the Cretans travel to face Panathinaikos on Sunday. The Heraklion based side has struggled all season long, and a win at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium won’t save them from demotion to the Beta Ethniki; however, the islanders could benefit from a much needed confidence boost ahead of the season.

Panserraikos’ supposed fairy tale end to the season didn’t come with a happy ending. The ‘Liontaria’ were convincingly bounced from the Greek Cup semi-finals by AEK Athens, and their quest to stave off relegation was baffled by self-destruction and by Iraklis’ unwillingness to lose. So, the Beta Ethniki Champions of 2007 will return to the same division they won promotion from about twelve months ago. A fourteen year wait to return to the Greek top flight has been compounded by a one-year stint in the Super League, but the Serres side will be hopeful of denting PAOK’s push for second place in the Super League when the pair meet at the Toumba Stadium on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, Thrasyvoulos will look to suffice for some of the pain inflicted by their bottom of the table finish when Olympiacos visit Fyli on Sunday evening. Two polar opposites will meet at the municipality’s stadium, as the home side looks to hand Greek Champions their fourth loss of the – during a process which would see Thrasyvoulos register just their fourth victory of the season. Pride will definitely be on the line for the hosts, whose aim focuses an overturning of 2-1 result from the reverse fixture.

That’s because Larissa holds a two-point edge over the Thessaloniki giants and with just one round left on the Greek calendar, a win for Aris on Sunday might not be enough for Iomar Mazinho’s men.

With one eye elsewhere, Aris hosts Panthrakikos at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium (19:00 GR, ET3), while Larissa travels to Levadeia where Levadeiakos await the ‘Vyssini’ (19:00, ALPHA). A win is a must for Aris, especially if they are adamant about returning to the playoffs – and ultimately European competition – for the second consecutive season.

Their past European endeavour ended early as Croatian side NK Slaven Belupo ousted Aris in the second qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate win. Hoping to erase their early exit from their memory, Aris looks to end a shaky season on a high.

Much to their fans dismay, Aris’ destiny depends on much more than the outcome in Thessaloniki. A win for Larissa would be the best result for Marinos Ouzounidis’ men, but in the meanwhile detrimental to Aris’ hopes. A draw for Larissa and victory for Aris would see both sides finish the Super League schedule level on points.

The Greek Super League rules and regulations state the first tiebreaker after points is  the amount of points collected during head-to-head matches. Both matches ended in a draw, but Aris holds the advantage after a 1-1 draw at Larissa’s Alkazar Stadium betters the pair’s 0-0 stalemate in Thessaloniki.

The ‘Vyssini’, however, won’t be content with letting their advantage slip away; especially after last year’s nail biting finish to the Super League. A series of results, including a 4-3 defeat of PAOK on the last day, left Larissa on the outside looking in as Panionios edged the 2007 Greek Cup Champions for the final playoff spot. Failing to reach European competition since triumphing in the Greek Cup, and stunning Blackburn Rovers for a spot in the UEFA Cup Group Stage, Larissa will be hoping its long line of winter arrivals will pay off on Sunday.