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.

AEK Athens FC 3-1 Levadeiakos FC
Djebbour 2′, Blanco 39′, Edinho 81′ – Kiassos 26′

Dusan Bajevic’s AEK took a step closer to the premier playoff spots with their sixth consecutive win in the Greek Super League coming through a 3-1 triumph over Levadeiakos. While the game was not a crucial encounter in terms of any points race, the Athenians put on a clinical performance on either side of the interval to defeat Momcilo Vukotic’s Levadeiakos, and leave the visitors in a worrying state as the relegation zone closes in on the Levadeia outfit.

Panionios FC 2-3 Olympiacos CFP
Lourenco 45′, Anderson 51′ – Derbyshire 22′, Maniatis (o.g.) 62′, Dudu 72′

Alongside Panathinaikos’ falter in Tripoli, Olympiacos’ 3-2 win over Panionios in Nea Smyrni paved the way for Olympiacos to yet another Greek crown. A late goal from Dudu Cearense allowed Ernesto Valverde’s to scrape through the Athenian suburb with a slim win, while their not-so-slim advantage in the Super League standings allowed for the Piraeus giants to clinch the Greek Championship ahead of schedule.

OFI Crete FC 4-3 Panthrakikos FC
Popovic 11′, Barcauan 18′, Sfakianakis  60′, 82′ – Kanotidis 6′, Riera 15′, Konstantinidis 65′

A dramatic 4-3 win for OFI over Panthrakikos at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion allows the Cretans to continue their fight to stay alive in the Super League – even if safety is a whole six points away. Giving a valiant effort in front of their home crowd, OFI showed plenty of heart by coming out the top dog after a seven-goal thriller. Nonetheless, Emilio Ferrera’s side will likely be disappointed in the final result after squandering two early leads to take zero points back to Komotini.

Panserraikos FC 1-2 Aris FC
Georgiadis 2′ – Campora 60′, Regueiro 78′

A match featuring desperation for diverse reasons saw Aris claim a much needed three points with a 2-1 win over Panserraikos in Serres. Trailing Larissa in the push for a playoff spot, the match was a must-win for Aris if the Thessaloniki-based club was to keep pace with Larissa after the ‘Vyssini’s’ triumph at Kaftanzogleio.

PAOK FC 2-1 Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
Liapakis (o.g.) 46′, Bakayoko 90′ – Martorell 36′

Losing ground in the battle in second place after a winless spell, PAOK returned to the win column with a tender 2-1 win over Thrasyvoulos in Thessaloniki. Again it was the clutch performing of Ibrahim Bakayoko that saved ‘Dikefale tou Vorra’ from embarrassment at the intense Toumba Stadium.

Skoda Xanthi FC 0-1 Ergotelis FC
Koutsianikoulis 61′

Ergotelis handed Skoda Xanthi’s playoff hopes a detrimental blow as the Cretans slipped past the Thracians with a 1-0 win at the Skoda Xanthi Arena. The Canaries again relied on Vasilis Koutsianikoulis to pave the way to maximum points, as the blonde-haired bandit, who is dubbed the Greek Lionel Messi, struck just past the hour mark to account for the match’s only goal.

Asteras Tripolis FC 1-1 Panathinaikos
Kaounos 65′ – Salpigidis 24′

Having held Olympiacos to a 2-2 draw just days earlier, Asteras Tripolis put on a similar performance to claim a point in their scalp with Panathinaikos in Tripoli. The spoils were shared when Vaggelis Kaounos’ second half tally cancelled out Dimitrios Salpigidis’ opener.

Iraklis FC 0-2 Larissa FC
Zurawski 73′, Metin 82′

With their fate in their own hands, Larissa made the most of their trip to Thessaloniki as the ‘Vyssini’ strolled to a 2-0 win over Iraklis. Late second half goals from Maciej Zurawski and Tumer Metin were more than enough for Marinos Ouzounidis’ men, who now lead pursuers Aris FC by four points for the last playoff spot.

Up Next…
Like most leagues across Europe, and possibly the world, the Greek Super League does not have any fixtures scheduled for the ensuing weekend as international play resumes on various levels. In fact, the Greek National Team will be the focus for the next week and a half as Otto Rehhagel’s men continue their quest to qualify for the 2010 World Cup with a double-date with Israel.

However, when action does resume in two weeks time, the chase for the final playoff spot and OFI’s bid to remain a Super League side will be put under the microscope once again.

Sunday, April 5^th, 2008
Levadeiakos FC vs. Olympiacos CFP
Panthrakikos FC vs. AEK Athens FC
Larissa FC vs. Panionios FC
Aris FC vs. OFI Crete FC
Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC vs. Iraklis FC
Ergotelis FC vs. Panserraikos FC
Asteras Tripolis FC vs. PAOK FC
Panathinaikos FC vs. Skoda Xanthi FC

Larissa FC 0-0 PAOK FC

Larissa’s home advantage was not enough to overcome PAOK at the Alkazar Stadium on Saturday as the two sides, who are in the thick of the playoff race, shared the spoils in a scoreless stalemate.

Having lost to Panathinaikos in Athens last week, pressure had become a factor for Larissa as rivals continue their pursuit of the final playoff spot. PAOK, meanwhile, followed last weekend’s derby draw with Olympiacos with yet another 0-0 draw to lose ground on second placed Panathinaikos and the aforementioned titleholders.

AEK FC 1-0 OFI Crete FC
Kafes 23′

Hoping to close the gap for second place, AEK grabbed a slim 1-0 win over OFI Crete at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium. With PAOK’s slip earlier in the day, AEK’s three points allowed for the Athenians to creep closer to their Thessaloniki rivals and almost guarantees OFI a drop to the B’ Ethniki next season.

AEK went ahead when Ismael Blanco’s cross was blocked by OFI ‘keeper Arkadiusz Malarz but only as far as Pantelis Kafes, who easily slotted his effort past an out-of-position Malarz. There was no way back for OFI, and Ioannis Matzourakis’ men look destined for a stint in the second-tier of Greek football.

Aris FC 0-1 Skoda Xanthi FC
Agali 80′

Aware of Larissa’s lapse against PAOK, Aris failed to take advantage of the opportunity to inch closer to the promise land known as the final playoff spot. Instead, it was Skoda Xanthi who gained some ground on Larissa with a 1-0 win at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium surely spoiling the home crowd’s evening.

Level throughout most of the match, Victor Agali’s sweet strike proved to be the difference. The Nigerian calmly collected a loose ball at the edge of the Aris box, and swiftly turned before smashing a driven shot into the top corner of the Aris goal.

Ergotelis FC 0-1 Asteras Tripolis FC
Kaounos 33′

Asteras Tripolis continued its climb up the Greek table as the Arcadian followed up last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing of Aris with a 1-0 defeat of Ergotelis in Heraklion. In a relegation log jam just a few weeks ago, Asteras claimed another three points to further support a late chase for the playoffs.

While last week’s rout of Aris was kickstarted by Michalis Sifakis’ sending off, Asteras surged ahead on thirty-three minutes. Adrian Bastia threaded a pass for Vaggelis Kaounos, who freely etched his name onto the scoreboard for the fifth time this season.

Despite home advantage on their side, Ergotelis failed to respond as Asteras claimed a league double over the Cretans.

Levadeiakos FC 1-1 Panionios FC
Napoleoni 72′ – Recoba 35′

With safety in the Super League not yet confirmed, Levadeiakos and Panionios played to a 1-1 draw in Levadia and the point boosted both campaigns in hopes of avoiding the drop.

Although their lead on the drop zone was – and still is – quite substantial, neither side has yet to clinch a spot in next year’s line-up of the Greek top flight. Alvaro Recoba took the initiative to assure Panionios of a spot next year as the Uruguayan netted the match’s breakthrough on thirty-five minutes. The former Inter Milan man weaved past two markers before slotting a low shot past Levadeiakos custodian Srdjan Blazic.

It took nearly forty-minutes for the home side to respond, but they managed to equalize on seventy-two minutes through Stefano Napoleoni. The Italian midfielder eluded defenders a he strolled into the Panionios half before releasing a shot from long distance. While the effort had plenty of power, Panionios ‘keeper Tomas Belic must have been disappointed with his decision to punch the ball as Levadeiakos levelled the match with a fluke-like tally.

Panthrakikos FC 2-1 Panserraikos FC
Diallo 14′, Zapropoulos 89′ – Abubakari 25′

After last week’s disastrous 5-1 loss at the hands of AEK, Panserraikos was unable to redeem themselves against fellow promoted side Panthrakikos as the ‘Liontaria’ were dealt a huge blow through a 2-1 loss in Komotini.

The hosts got off to a flying start when Abdul Diallo pounced after Panserraikos ‘keeper Fotis Kipouros fumbled Tim Matthys’ corner to allow the Burkina Faso striker easily popped in the loose ball on fourteen minutes.

The lead, however, didn’t last long. Panserraikos managed to level the score at 1-1 through a header by Mohammed Abubakari off a perfect cross from Marco Aurelio.

Heartbreak was the theme just before full-time as Panthrakikos went ahead once again, but this time there was little time for Panserraikos to respond. Set for extra time, Panserraikos’ slim chances of staying in the Super League took a heavy knock when Nikos Zapropoulos’ header beat Kipouros on eighty-nine minutes.

Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC 0-1 Panathinaikos FC
Salpigidis (pen.) 13′

Deflated by their Champions League exit thanks to the likes of Villarreal, Panathinaikos turned its attention to claiming second spot in the Greek Super League with a 1-0 win over Thrasyvoulos in Fyli.

With what was a questionable penalty call on Thrasyvoulos ‘keeper Peterson Pecanha, the referee paved the way for a spot-kick for Panathinaikos after just thirteen minutes.

Dimitris Salpigidis, who was the fouled party, made no mistake with his penalty effort to send Panathinaikos ahead with what was enough to keep Thrasyvoulos on the losing end.

Olympiacos CFP 5-0 Iraklis FC
Torosidis 60′, Oscar 64′, 79′, Derbyshire 82′, 87′

Olympiacos returned to the form which won them praises and matches by large margins in ahead of the New Year as Ernesto Valverde’s men claimed an emphatic 5-0 win over Iraklis at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium.

Vasilis Torosidis’ late first half goal was cancelled by an offside call, but the Greece international struck again on the hour mark to initiate Iraklis’ crumble.

Soon afterwards the deterioration continued as Fernando Belluschi connected with Oscar who tallied swiftly past ‘keeper Giorgos Bantis. A nearly-identical series of events panned out on seventy-nine minutes as Oscar secured a brace after another assist from Belluschi.

Not to be outdone by his Spanish teammate, Matt Derbyshire added to Iraklis woes as the unmarked Englishman easily converted a grounded cross from Leonardo to make it 4-0 for the hosts.

But the evening’s pain for Iraklis didn’t stop there, at least not until Derbyshire notched his second goal of the night. Collecting a neatly crafted pass from Predrag Djordjevic, Derbyshire weaved through the defense before beating Bantis to the near post with a grounded strike.

Next Up:

The Greek Cup takes center stage during midweek as the introductory legs of the semi-final ties take the stage in Athens between AEK and Panserraikos, and in Tripolis between Asteras Tripolis and Olympiacos.

The weekend then offers excitement as the final four weeks of football begin with the twenty-seventh round schedule:

OFI Crete FC vs. Panthrakikos FC
Iraklis FC vs. Larissa FC
Panionios FC vs. Olympiacos CFP
PAOK FC vs. Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
Skoda Xanthi FC vs. Ergotelis FC
AEK FC vs. Levadeiakos FC
Asteras Tripolis FC vs. Panathinaikos FC
Panserraikos FC vs. Aris FC

The General Manager of the Greek Super League Board, Patrick Komninos, introduced the new design to the Super League title. “The trophy chosen by the Governing Council aims to enhance the visual identity of the OPAP Championship,” said Komninos.

The new design was voted on by the Super League Board, and the decision was revealed on Thursday.

“We want to reward the Champions with a recognizable trophy, which also reflects the image of the Super League,” continued Komninos.

“The trophy will be awarded for five seasons, starting with this year’s championship. We hope to establish the true identity of the Super League in the minds of fans alike.”

Olympiacos are the clear favourites to secure their fifth consecutive title, twelfth in the last thirteen years, and become the first club to claim the new trophy. The Piraeus giants lead Thessaloniki side PAOK by nine points with six matchdays remaining on the Super League schedule.

Larissa FC 3-2 Ergotelis FC
Zurawski 15′, Fotakis 47′ Guela 54′ – Fernandes 34′, Budimir 82′

A five goal thriller in Larissa ended with Ergotelis dropping a result to Larissa as the weekend’s action got off to a rampant start with Saturday’s matinee match. The hosts took the lead after the quarter-hour mark as Maciej Zurawski shot past Zsolt Posza to give the ‘Vyssini’ an early lead. Mauricio Fernandes levelled the score-line just past the half-hour mark as Ergotelis clawed back with an equalizer ahead of the interval.

It took just two minutes after the restart for Larissa to reclaim their one-goal advantage thanks to a strike from Giorgos Fotakis. Did’dy Guela put the hosts on pace for three points with his fifty-fourth minute tally, but that wasn’t enough to discourage Mario Budimir from setting up a tense finale when he found the back of the net on eighty-two minutes.

Marinos Ouzounidis’ Larissa secured the win despite a late revival by the Cretans, and extended their unbeaten streak to thirteen games. Ergotelis manager Nikos Karageorgiou was left frustrated as his side were unable to translate confidence from last weekend’s win over league leaders Olympiacos.

Next weekend Larissa will take their unbeatable run to Athens to meet with Panathinaikos, while Ergotelis’ road trip continues when they face Thrasyvoulos in Fyli.

Aris FC 2-1 Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
Campora (pen.) 35′, Wlodarczyk 90′ + 1′ – Prittas (o.g.) 3′

It took a late strike from Piotr Wlodarczyk for Aris to fend off a pesky Thrasyvoulos at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium in Thessaloniki. The hosts had to fight their way back to claim maximum points.

Sakis Tsiolis’ Thrasyoulos was given a dream start when Aris defender Athanassios Prittas turned the ball into his own net off a Wellington corner.

They were lashed with reality soon after the half-hour mark as Javier Campora slotted home a penalty kick to equalize for the hosts.

When Nikos Karmbelas was shown his second caution of the night, it appeared Aris’ chances of bagging three points were severely dented just past the hour mark.

Iomar Mazinho’s side weren’t discouraged, however, as Aris finally grabbed the lead in the first minute of stoppage time as a somewhat Wlodarczyk somewhat clumsily deposited Neto’s pinpoint cross to give ‘O Theos tou Polemou’ a dramatic win in front of their home supporters.

The win snapped a two-game winless streak for Aris, but Thrasyvoulos’ losing streak was extended to a woeful seven games. They’ll look to snap the streak and improve their bid to escape the dreaded relegation when Ergotelis visits Fyli. Aris faces a trip south to Tripoli for a meeting with Asteras Triplis.

AEK Athens FC 2-1 Skoda Xanthi FC
Edinho 10′, Blanco 49′ – Poy 57′

Just days after their Greek Cup encounter, AEK entertained Skoda Xanthi at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium for the second time in four days, and like their midweek meetin in Athens, AEK edged the Thracian outfit with a slim one-goal win.

On Wednesday, it was a late goal from Ismael Blanco that gave AEK a 1-0 win to clinch progress to the semi-finals of the Cup. On Saturday, Dusan Bajevic’s side took an early lead through Edinho. The Brazilian made the most of a through pass from Blanco to beat Michael Gspurning.

Soon after the interval, Blanco put the game further out of Xanthi’s reach with a forty-ninth minute tally. The Argentine was sent in on a breakaway via a hail-marry pass from Sotiris Kyrgiakos, and made no mistake with his effort; however, a look at the replay indicated Blanco was offside when Kyrgiakos launched the ball towards the striker – it didn’t matter, the goal stood.

Eight minutes after they were undone by a questionable goal, Xanthi grabbed a goal back through Mauro Poy. Charilaos Pappas initiated the play with a through pass to the flank for Giannis Papadimitriou, and the latter cheekily slotted home a goal for the visitors.

There was no comeback in store, however, as AEK held on to claim their second victory against Xanthi in less than a week.

The Athenians will travel to Panserraikos next weekend in hopes of sealing a playoff berth in Serres, while Xanthi looks to inch closer to the highly pursued fifth place in the Super League as local rivals Panthrakikos visit the Skoda Xanthi Arena.

Levadeiakos FC 3-0 Iraklis FC
Moulopoulos 22, Napoleoni 45′, Koltzos 90′

Hoping to avoid relegation, Levadeiakos gave an astonishing performance in their 3-0 rout of Iraklis to kickoff Sunday’s Super League action.

Levadeiakos defender Athanassios Moulopoulos put his side ahead after twenty-two minutes as he concluded a passing-play between him and Leonardo with a goal.

It was Leonardo again playing provider just before the interval as his free-kick was turned in by Stefano Napoleoni.

The rout was completed late in the second half as Giorgos Koltzos breached the Iraklis defense and surged out to a breakaway on Wojciech Kowalewski, and made no mistake by firing past the Polish ‘keeper.

Iraklis, who looked headed for greener pastures just two weeks ago, have been slapped with reality andremain near the relegation zone yet again. They’ll look to add some distance between them and the bottom three when they host Panionios at the Kaftanzogleio Stadium in Thessaloniki.

Levadeiakos, meanwhile, will travel to Heraklion where OFI hosts Momcilo Vukotic’s men at the Pankritio Stadium in Crete.

OFI Crete FC 0-0 Panserraikos FC

A goalless end to the affair between OFI and Panserraikos in Crete did little to help either side’s bid to escape the relegation, as the full-time came with a bitter pill of disappointment after their rivals managed to gain ground on the relegation stricken pair.

Panserraikos did, however, extend their unbeaten streak to three games.  While Panathinaikos and the Greek Cup is in their immediate sights as Hugo Broos’ squad attempts to stir an upset on Wednesday night in Athens; the ‘Liontaria’ will resume their plans to remain a Super League side a few days after their Athens trip. In hopes of extending their unbeaten run to four games, the Serres side will face Athenian side AEK, who could potentially spoil their plans.

OFI’s unbeaten has already reached four matches, but it still isn’t enough for Ioannis Matzourakis’ men to escape the relegation zone. They’ll host Levadeiakos next weekend in hopes of cutting the deficit between them and their guests, who sit in the much desired thirteenth spot.

Panionios FC 2-1 PAOK FC
Lourenco 58′ – Bakayoko 75′ 90′ + 3′

Ibrahim Bakayoko put on a late goal-scoring performance to give PAOK a dramatic win over Panionios in Nea Smyrni. With Panionios leading after fifty-eight minutes, Bakayoko struck twice in the final fifteen minutes to break ‘Kyanerythri’ hearts.

Angolan striker Lourenco da Silva put the hosts ahead when he made the most of chaos in the PAOK box, and slotted home the loose ball past a confused Kostas Chalkias.

The equalizer was crafted by a run by Sergio Conceicao, who then turned the ball over to Bakayoko with a simple pass into the Panionios box.  The Ivorian Coast striker made no mistake as he slotted his effort into the top corner past Panionios ‘keeper Dario Kresic.

Ten minutes after PAOK retaliated on the scoreboard, Grigoris Makos was show his second yellow of the night, to set up a grinding finale for the hosts.

With the strength in numbers, Bakayoko made sure PAOK cashed in as he scored the winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Conceicao again played provider as he lashed a cross towards Zlatan Muslimovic, but the Bosnian striker saw his effort slam off the crossbar. Keeping his eye on the ball, Bakayoko pounced on the rebound to slot home a somewhat acrobatic finish past Kresic.

Leaving it late to secure maximum points, PAOK extended its winning streak to three games. The Thessaloniki side now face a double date with Olympiacos which begins on Wednesday in Piraeus, as the top two sides in the Greek Super League clash at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium for a spot in the semi-finals of the Greek Cup. The venue will shift to the Toumba Stadium on the weekend, as PAOK puts its undefeated home record to its biggest test of the year.

Panionios will also take part in a quarterfinal Greek Cup tie, but they’re up against the odds with Asteras Tripolis holding an aggregate edge ahead of the return leg in Tripoli. On the league front, Panionios resumes its Super League schedule on Saturday afternoon against Iraklis in Thessaloniki.

Olympiacos CFP 0-0 Panathinaikos FC

The highlight fixture of the weekend, which is likely the latter half of most anticipated match of the season, featured two long-time rivals clashing at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus. The ancient port city played host to Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, for the 100^th league meeting between Greece’s most fierce rivals.

While there was no scoring done in Piraeus, there wasn’t a shortage of suspense as both teams looked to overcome their rivals. Jose Sarriegi was shown two yellow cards before the hour mark, as Panathinaikos was forced to play with ten-men after the Spaniard was dismissed on fifty-eight minutes.

The visiting Athenians arguably had the best chance of the match when Giorgos Karagounis slammed his seventieth minute set-piece effort off Antonis Nikpolidis’ right post.

At the other end, Fernando Belluschi forced Mario Galinovic to stretch acrobatically in order to keep out the Argentine’s header just minutes before the full-time whistle.

Olympiacos avoided defeat for the first time in three matches spanning all competitions, but the ‘Erythrolefki’ remained disappointed with the derby draw.

Two more derbies lie not too far in the horizon as a Cup meeting with PAOK is followed by a rematch with ‘Dikefale tou Vorra’ on the ensuing weekend.

Panathinaikos have a lighter schedule, but urgency will be required when Panserraikos makes a visit to the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium with a 0-0 aggregate score-line. Larissa visits Henk Ten Cate’s Panathinaikos on Saturday.

Panthrakikos FC 0-0 Asteras Tripolis FC

In the third scoreless fixture of the weekend, Panthrakikos and Asteras Tripolis duelled to a stalemate in Komotini.

Neither could net a breakthrough, which would have rightly been vital to either outfit’s domestic campaign. Asteras Tripolis grabbed a valuable point away from home, but Nikos Kostenoglou’s men are likely to reflect on the game with a missed chance at furthering themselves from the relegation zone.

Emilio Ferrera’s Panthrakikos are not as closely associated with the bottom three clubs in the Greek table, but are also likely to feel they missed out on maximum points.

Asteras Tripolis faces Panionios at home in the Greek Cup on Wednesday, before welcoming Aris to Tripoli on Saturday. Panthrakikos’ Greek Cup campaign has already come to an end, but they face a trip to local rivals Skoda Xanthi as the Thracian pair meet in Komotini.

Larissa FC vs. Ergotelis FC
Without former Greece international Stelios Giannakopoulos, Larissa welcomes Ergotelis to the Alkazar Stadium to kick-off the weekend’s festivities. Undefeated in their last twelve Super League matches, Marinos Ouzounidis’ Larissa will hope to inch closer to locking down a playoff spot by overcoming their Cretan guests. But while the hosts are the foreseeable favourites, Ergotelis’ 1-0 win over Olympiacos last Sunday gives the ‘Canaries’ a boost heading into the meeting.

Aris FC vs. Thrasyvoulos Fylis
Hoping to claw their way back into the playoff picture, Aris tackles Thrasyvoulos at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium in Thessaloniki. The hosts failed to close the gap between them and Larissa last weekend and now need to begin a lengthy winning streak if they are to even dream of European competition next season. With Thrasyvoulos winless in their last six Super League fixtures, the hosts are being tipped by many to collect maximum points in front of their home crowd. Nonetheless, the visitors will look to stir an upset in the midst of falling to the foot of the table as hope continues to escape the Super League’s cellar dwellers.

AEK Athens FC vs. Skoda Xanthi FC
A late header from Ismael Blanco gave AEK a 1-0 win over Skoda Xanthi in the Greek Cup on Wednesday, but the Athenians will have to defeat the same Thracian side again on Saturday as the pair meet at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium in Athens. Giorgos Paraschos’ Xanthi failed to hold onto a 2-1 aggregate lead in Athens during midweek and were dismissed from the Cup as AEK slipped into the semi-final frame. Now, out to level the score, the Thracians will aim to boost their still speculative chances of reaching the playoffs by handing Dusan Bajevic’s side a blow on Athenian turf. It may be a tall order for Xanthi as AEK has allowed just two goals in the Super League since the start of the New Year.

Levadeiakos FC vs. Iraklis FC
Hoping to snap a five-game losing streak, Levadeiakos entertains Iraklis in Levadeia to commence Sunday’s slate of Super League fixtures. Momcilo Vukotic’s men have struggled in their last five matches, and have been kept off the score sheet since their 4-0 thumping of Ergotelis in January. Spiralling towards the relegation zone, the hosts will look to halt a turbulent Iraklis who are coming off a 1-0 derby defeat to PAOK. Makis Katsavakis’ men picked up a valuable point when Panathinaikos traveled to the Kaftanzogelio Stadium two weeks ago, but they are still in reaching distance from the relegation zone. A full three points will do marvels for either side.

OFI Crete FC vs. Panserraikos FC
Two early relegation candidates meet at the Pankritio Stadium in Crete as OFI hosts Panserraikos on Greece’s largest island. OFI has begun a bit of an impressive streak by going undefeated in their last three matches in hopes of escaping the relegation zone. The Cretans will need to improve on their home record, however, if they are to remain a Super League club at season’s end. Posting just one win at home this season, Ioannis Matzourakis’ men will need to overcome Panserraikos to boost their chances of staying up. The same holds true for Panserraikos, who also need a victory to assure survival. Two points on their hosts, and one away from safety, the ‘Liontaria’ will be keen to extend their winning streak after a two-game home-stand allowed Hugo Broos’ side to collect full points against Skoda Xanthi and Levadeiakos.

Panionios FC vs. PAOK FC
Lambros Choutos returns to Nea Smyrni on Sunday as PAOK travels to face Panionios. The former Olympiacos and Inter Milan striker left the ‘Kyanerythri’ on bitter terms during the January transfer window, and will expectedly be jeered when he steps out onto the pitch. All emotions aside, both sides may be distracted by their Greek Cup plans that will come forth on Wednesday. PAOK faces a double-date with league leader Olympiacos next week and will gladly pursue a chance to close the gap behind the runaway league leaders. Panionios, who travels to Tripoli to face Asteras Tripolis on Wednesday, will look inch closer to the last playoff spot by overcoming their northern visitors. With just one win in their last six matches, Fabian Estoyanoff will need to be at his very best if Panionios is to deal PAOK their fourth loss of the season.

Olympiacos CFP vs. Panathinaikos FC
The biggest derby in Greek football returns to the limelight when Panathinaikos visits the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium to take on archrivals Olympiacos. A midweek stalemate with Villarreal in Spain gives Panathinaikos plenty of confidence ahead of this much anticipated meeting, but a trip to Karaiskaki is always a daunting task for the ‘Trifylli’. Trailing their inter-city rivals by a remarkable eleven points, Henk Ten Cate’s men will aim to trim the deficit to eight points with a win in Piraeus.  Not as fortunate in their own European campaign, Olympiacos will be hoping to rebound after French side Saint-Etienne bounced them from the UEFA Cup on Thursday. A derby win against their fierce rivals will sooth the pain in Piraeus and halt a three-game slide in all competitions.  Ernesto Valverde’s side will be boosted by the return of superstar Luciano Galletti after a nagging injury sidelined the Argentine for the ‘Erythrolefki’s’ last two matches.

Panthrakikos FC vs. Asteras Tripolis FC
AEK purged Asteras’ five-game unbeaten run last weekend, but that won’t discourage the Arcadians from returning to the win column when they meet up with Panthrakikos in Komotini. Nikos Kostenoglou remains adamant his side are primarily focusing on avoiding relegation, despite Asteras nearing a semi-final appearance in the Greek Cup ahead of a replay with Panionios on Wednesday. Sitting just for points up on the relegation zone, Asteras will need a victory on Sunday to inject comfort in the minds of the club’s vocal supporters. Emilio Ferrera’s Panthrakikos, meanwhile, overcame Thrasyvoulos with a 2-0 win in Fyli last week, to discretely cover-up the suspension of ‘keeper Jose Rocas after a failed drug test by the Spaniard cost Panathrakikos’ number one custodian a one-year ban. Snapping a three-game slide last weekend, the Thracians will look to reproduce a similar performance to overcome a determined Asteras.

Skoda Xanthi FC 0-0 OFI Crete FC
A scoreless night in Xanthi meant Skoda Xanthi and visitors OFI shared the spoils in Pigadia. While there will be disappointment for Giorgos Paraschos’ men, especially after their midweek Cup defeat for AEK Athens. OFI’s ability to grab a point does help their chances of staying in the Super League for at least another year, but does assert more pressure for the weeks to come.

PAOK FC 1-0 Iraklis FC
In the season’s second edition of the Thessaloniki derby between PAOK and Iraklis, a goal from Pablo Contreras separated both sides afternearly eighty minutes of scoreless football. Holding their own for most of the match, Iraklis constantly looked likely to score the match’s breakthrough; however, a costly defensive error dug a deep hole for Makis Katsavakis’ men. There was no way back for the visitors, who were bitterly deflated when Contreras converted Sergio Conceicao’s cross.

Panathinaikos FC 2-1 Panionios GSS
Another local derby, this one in Athens between Panathinaikos and Panionios ended with a slim win for the hosts. Second-half goals from Antonis Petropoulos and Dimitrios Salpigidis put Panathinaikos ahead by two, but Fabian Estoyanoff secured a consolation goal for the visitors. With European ambitions still occupying the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, the win was a much needed boost for Henk Ten Cate’s men, who tackle Villarreal in Spain on Wednesday.

Panserraikos FC 1-0 Levadeiakos FC
On Sunday, the Super League schedule resumed, and a matinee match in Serres saw Panserraikos claim their third consecutive home win, after going winless in their nine previous home stands. A lone goal Nino Milenkovic gave Hugo Broos’ side a confidence boosting victory, but it was the series of early dismissals that hogged the headlines. A total of three double bookings clogged the plot, as Panserraikos’ Anastasios Papazoglou and Mohammed Abubakari, and Levadeiakos’ Patrick Dimbala were sent to locker rooms ahead of the final whistle.

Thrasyvoulos Fylis 0-2 Panthrakikos FC
Panthrakikos ended a bad week on high, as the Thracians, with a little help, overcame Thrasyvoulos in Fyli with a 2-0 score-line. After ‘keeper Jose Roca was sentenced to a one-year ban due to unexplained drug use, which was utilized for asthma and not performance, Panthrakikos was tipped to be on a path for doom. On Sunday, however, a penalty strike from Sito Riera, and an own goal by Dimitris Mavrogenidis gave the Komotini-based club an important victory. Thrasyvoulos was pushed even deeper down into the relegation zone, and now look likely to return to the Beta Ethniki next year.

Larissa FC 1-1 Aris FC
In a meeting between two sides fighting for the final playoff spot, Aris was unable to close the gap between them and their closest rivals. A late goal from Aris captain Sergio Koke denied Larissa, who had gone ahead through a tally from Poland international Maciej Zurawski not more than ten minutes before. Larissa looked to be in trouble when star midfielder and impact goal scorer, Stelios Giannakopoulos, went down to injury just past the twenty-minute mark. His immediate replacement, Zurawski, struck after seventy-seven minutes, but ultimately Larissa was unable to triumph at home.

Asteras Tripolis FC 0-1 AEK Athens FC
It was a similar result to their prior meeting, as AEK left it late once again to overcome a determined Asteras Tripolis. Facing his former employers, Nikos Kostenoglou narrowly put together another slaying of a Greek titan. Instead it was another late winner from AEK that stole the result from the Arcadian club. Daniel Majstorovic struck his second goal against the Peloponnesian club, and AEK grabbed three much needed points to extend their undefeated run to three games. Both sides will quickly shift their focus to Cup aspirations, as both outfits host their quarterfinal opponents with work to do.
*** Don’t forget to stay up-to-date with AEK news by joining Chris Paraskevas over at the AEK Blog.

Ergotelis FC 1-0 Olympiacos CFP
Slumping to just their second Super League defeat of the season, Olympiacos was upset by Cretan side Ergotelis. Vasilis Koutsianikoulis, one of the Super League’s revelations this year, exposed the Olympiacos defense, and goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, to give his side a memorable win against the Greek Champions. It seems Olympiacos is still focused on their European campaign, and a 3-1 deficit to French side Saint-Etienne rightly assumes full attention for the Super League leaders.
*** Don’t forget to stay up-to-date with Olympiacos news by joining Chris Pavlakos and myself over at the Olympiacos Blog.

The Greece Blog’s Peter Katsiris provides critical analysis for each of the sixteen clubs that comprise the Greeks Super League, and also dishes his picks for the best, and the worst, from at least a Greek standpoint, of this winter’s transfer window…

There was plenty of speculation about who AEK would buy this winter, but more importantly the main interest was who would buy the club. With the likes of Demis Nikolaidis and Giorgos Kintis stepping down as president in a handful of months, there was a gaping hole in the spot of AEK top dog. That, however, has since been refilled as Nikos Thanopoulos was appointed the third president of the ‘Enosi’ during a season span.

On the transfer front, there was not much activity regarding new players coming – foreshadowing a busy summer of rebuilding. Instead there were several moves featuring players leaving Athens, including high-profile, and highly expensive Greece international Angelos Basinas leaving the OAKA Spyros Louis stadium to join English outfit Portsmouth FC. Some might think the hole left by Basinas’ departure will be costly, but with the mounds of cash – nearly € 2 million – freed up by Basinas’ exit, the move is more than welcoming for AEK Athens.

Other departures include a loan deal for Greek starlet Panagiotis Zorbas, while Edson Ramos Silva was sent to homeland club Mogi Mirim on a permanent deal.

In: Giorgos Tofas (loan return from Anagennisi Karditsas).

Out: Panagiotis Zorbas (loaned to Panaitolikos), Edson Ramos Silva (Mogi Mirim), Angelos Basinas (Portsmouth).

Net Profit: +350.000 €

The transfer window saw several players leave Aris FC, notably former captain Konstantinos Nebegleras and Slovakian shot stopper Marian Kelemen (on loan). While the list of exports is rather hefty for the Thessaloniki club, they did manage to improve their squad by signing former Skoda Xanthi striker and captain Stavros Lambriakos on a free transfer.

Aris’ link-up with Lambriakos might just be one of the better domestic transfers of the winter – meaning between two Greek clubs – as the native of Thessaloniki was a consistent performer for his prior employers. Life comes full circle for Lambriakos, as the 33-year-old originally began his professional career with the Thessaloniki giants.

Other imports include prospects Javier Campora from Jaguares II, and Stivi Frasheri from Aris’ youth ranks.

In: Stavros Lambriakos (Skoda Xanthi), Javier Campora (Jaguares II), Stivi Frasheri (Aris Thessaloniki U-19).

Out: Marco Aurelio (loaned to Panserraikos), Amoroso (Guarani Futebol Clube), Felipe Sanson (loaned to Girona FC), Alejandro Delorte (Deportico Tachira), Konstantinos Nebegleras (Atromitos), Marijan Kelemen (CD Numancia).

Net Profit: +200.000 €

Last year Asteras Tripolis shocked everybody as they grabbed the league by storm during just their first season in the Greek top flight. Just missing out on the playoffs last term, Asteras was expected to be challenging for those elusive playoff spots. It didn’t go to plan, however, in the first half of the season. Instead of fighting in the top-half of the table, Asteras was fending off rivals as the relegation zone gloomed over Tripoli.

A winter shopping spree looks to put those worries to rest, as strategic purchasing of mainly Greek payers has allowed the Arcadian club to open a six-point gap on the relegation zone. The addition of striker Vangelis Kaounos has begun to show its worth, as the former AO Kalamata man has easily adjusted with teammates Lucio Filomeno and Danijel Cesarec. In the midfield, Efstahtios Rokas has been able to make his presence felt from a defensive perspective. Joining the former Beta Ethniki champions from minnows Thrasyvoulos, Rokas has since been a regular in manager Nikos Kostenoglou’s starting eleven.

While many names were added to the pot, several were tipped to leave the Peleponese club; however, rumors appeared to be non-relevant as Jaoud Zairi and Filomeno all remain tied to the Tripoli-based club. Instead, Asteras released a handful of underachievers during the busy winter window, notably striker Martin Kambourov. The Bulgarian joined homeland outfit Levski Sofia, after failing to impose himself on the Asteras line-up.

In: Vangelis Kaounos (Kalamata), Efstathios Rokas (Thrasyvoulos), Giannis Mitseas (Aiolikos Mitilini), Eder (Parana).

Out: Sebastian Adolfo Ereros (loan return to CA Velez Sarsfield) Jorginho (released), Roudolphe Douala (released), Martin Kambourov (Lokomotiv Sofia).

Net Profit: +150.000 €

Ergotelis kicked off its winter spending with a ‘bam’ as they say in Greece. Securing the services of Brazilian midfielder Beto on a free transfer from Swiss side FC Sion, the Cretan club was tipped to rediscover its early-season form with the acquisition of the former Benfica man.

Truth be told, Ergotelis’ fairy tale start to the season has not since been rekindled. Instead the Heraklion-based outfit has struggled to recapture its form, but has still managed to beat Super League titans Panathinaikos for the second time this season.

Like the solitary import, there was only one export leaving Crete. Greek midfielder Dimitrios Grammozis left the largest Greek island for Cypriot title chasers Omonia Nicosia.

In: Beto (FC Sion).

Out: Dimitrios Grammozis (AC Omonia Nicosia).

Net Profit: + 150.000 €

The main talk from the Iraklis camp during the winter transfer window revolved around the sale of marquee striker Michalis Konstantinou. The Cyprus international joined Iraklis in the summer, but his stay at the Kaftanzogleio Stadium was marred by a failure to make an impact like he had done during his original stay with ‘O Gireos’.

There wasn’t much activity that will keep Iraklis from its ambitions, which at this point look like another fight to stay in the Super League. The most notable signing by the ‘Galanoleuki’ is likely Serbian midfielder Aleksandar Vukovic from Polish side Legia Warsaw.

The very short list of imports proves president and owner Antonis Remos is willing to put faith in his club’s youthful core, as well as veterans, to overcome yet another drop zone obstacle this term.

In: Kydon Karlopoulos (Iraklis Thessaloniki U-19), Aleksandar Vukovic (Legia Warsaw), Savvas Exouzidis (RKC Waalwijk).

Out: Grigoris Pitsokos (extended loan to Olympiakos Volou), Giorgos Moschakis (loaned to Thermaikos Thermis), Michalis Konstantinou (AC Omonia Nicosia), Enea Kolici (loaned to
Olympiakos Volou), Dimitrios Aslanidis (loaned to Olympiakos Volou).

Net Profit: + 200.000 €

Larissa might not be challenging to add to their collection of Greek titles, but the ‘Vyssini’ could easily be declared the ‘Champions of the winter transfer market’. Acquiring top talent is not a far-off feat for the one-time Greek Champions, but the impact moves made this winter sees rival clubs desire their splash of cash.

The most prolific signing is likely midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos. After joining English side Hull City a few weeks into the Premier League season, Giannakopoulos failed to make an impact with the newly-promoted club despite pairing with former Bolton trainer and now Hull City manager Phil Brown. It took little time for the former Greece international to make his return to Greece a memorable one, as two late goals last weekend in Crete gave his side a dramatic 2-1 win over OFI.

Other imports include Serbian midfielder Sasa Ilic from Red Bull Salzburg, who joins the ‘Vyssini’ on a six-month loan deal. A former domestic rival of Ilic, and a former memger of the ‘Vyssni’ himself, Turkey’s Tumer Metin returns to the Super League on an identical deal which saw him across the Aegean from Fenerbahce last year.

While Larissa made large splashes in the market my acquiring the trio mentioned, several players left the Alkazar Stadium including Nolberto Solano. The Peru international returned to Peruvian outfit Universitario, while Belgian ace Mbo Mpenza was forced to end his football career due to a severe injury.

In: Sasa Ilic (on loan from Red Bull Salzburg), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Hull City), Tumer Metin (on loan from Fenerbahce SK).

Out: Mbo Mpenza (retired), Alexandros Vergonis (Olympiakos Volos), Andreas Lambropoulos (loaned to Panachaiki Patras), Nolberto Solano (Universitario), Konstantinos Banousis (loaned to Chaidari).

Net Profit: + 150.000 €

Levadeiakos is currently flirting with relegation, but while their state in the Super League is not one to be admired, there was more talk about a particular summer sale than any winter moves.
While four players joined the Levadeia based club this winter, highly rated attacking midfielder Leonardo was the center of rumors linking the Brazilian to either Olympiacos or AEK Athens.

Other than that the rumor mill was inoperable for one of the Super League’s early relegation candidates. The services of Leonardo continue to be put in use by manager Momcilo Vukotic, but the pressure to stay in the Greek top flight will be relieved with the addition of two 24-year-old players.
Armando Alonso joins the Greek minnows form Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa, while Toni Lehtinen makes the move south from Finland, after scoring fifty goals with FC Haka in a five year span.

The lone export saw Anastasios Pastos leave the club after failing to install himself in the starting line-up.

In: Armando Alonso (Deportivo Saprissa), Piotr Piechniak (Polonia Warsaw), Toni Lehtinen (FC Haka), Stefano Napoleoni (Widzew).

Out: Anastasios Pastos (Pierikos).

Net Profit: 0 €

Some of Olympiacos’ plans for the winter transfer market were foiled when Serbian striker was forced to end his career due to heart surgery in Spain. The impactful forward was told if he continued playing, there was a strong chance that he would jeopardize his life – similarly what happened to both his father and his brother.

After nearly a month of speculation as to who Olympiacos would acquire to fill the large gap left by Kovacecvic’s departure, the Greek Champions looked to the English Premier League for the answer. Blackburn Rovers agreed to loan Matt Derbyshire to the Piraeus giants until season’s end, after pursuits for Porto Edgar Farias, and Brazilian Davi failed to follow through.

There were more players leaving the ‘Erythrolefki’, including midfielder Mirnes Sisic, who was released before the Slovenia international signed on at Serbian side Red Star Belgrade. Also released was Lefteris Matsoukas, but the youthful Greek striker has since joined Werder Bremen’s B team.
Spanish fullback Raul Bravo was also allowed to leave the club, but on a loan basis as the former Real Madrid man was sent back to La Liga with relegation battlers CD Numancia.

In: Matt Derbyshire (on loan from Blackburn Rovers)

Out: Darko Kovacevic (retired), Mirnes Sisic (Red Star Belgrade), Lefteris
Matsoukas (Werder Bremen II), Raul Bravo (loaned to CD Numancia).

Net Profit: – 500.000 €

The last few years have seen OFI fight it out to stay alive in the top flight, and not surprisingly, the plot is the same this season. The Cretans have struggled to stay consistent, and rightly find themselves in a bit of a relegation jam.

A managerial change was supposed to be the catalyst to success, or at least a change; however, that has not gone to plan. Add a bit of drought in the financial stream to the woes, and you have OFI on the path for doom.

The winter window was a chance to spend money, very little money, to invest in some talent to save OFI in another attempt to elude the drop zone. But while seven players have newly arrived in Herkalion, the loss of OFI’s leading scorer to Danish side FC Kobenhavn will be felt in the Super League stretch run.

Dame N’Doye was lured away from Greece’s largest island, and his departures is likely to leave a large gap with the ‘Omilo’s’ line-up.

If OFI is to survive in the Super League for at least another season, the Cretans are going to need to start winning some games, and avoid last-minute breakdowns. The Pankritio Stadium will need to become a fortress, and the team will need to be fluent in attack and defense.

In: Frantz Bertin (FC Luzern), Marius Suleap (Gloria Buzau), Paquito (FC Luzern), Juan Bezares (on loan from Cadiz), Mario Lamesic (Sloboda Tuzla), Cornel Flaviu Cornea (FC Vaslui), Ilija Stolica (RAEC Mons),

Out: Gaston Caporale (loan return to La Plata B), Dimitrios Pliagas (Ionikos Nikaia), Dame N’Doye (FC Kobenhavn), Konstantinos Stefanis (Olympiakos Volos), Peter Orosz (released).

Net Profit: + 2.000.000 €

Panthrakikos has been a revelation in its first ever season in the Super League, but if the fairy tale is to continue, and not end prematurely, the Thracians will need to see their winter signings pay off.
Tim Matthys has the skill to be a dynamic front-man for the Komotini club, and so does Spaniard Julian Lopez. They’ve managed to clamp down on many of Greece’s top clubs, but if their success is to continue, a united effort will need to be the objective.

In: Tim Matthys (on loan from Zulte-Waregem), Julian Lopez (on loan from RCD Espanyol).

Out: Giorgos Katerinis (AO Kavala), Roberto Bisconti (retired), Okan Yilmaz (released), Cesar Henriquez (released).

Net Profit: 0 €

No matter how much Panionios tried, the ‘Kyanerythri’ were never going to outdo their spending from the summer. After signing Alvaro Recoba and Fabian Estoyanoff in the offseason, Panionios’ winter spending was supposed to be based on the means of maintenance. But when you consider the club is already on its third manager of the season, and the several controversies surrounding the club, it’s hard to imagine the winter is about maintenance spending.

They might still be trailing the playoff race by three points, yet the club surely ditched a major distraction by selling Lambros Choutos. The former Greece international was controversial since his arrival last winter. After many altercations and rather tedious disagreements, Choutos was demoted to the club’s youth team. He was eventually recalled to the first team, but sure enough another disagreement between the striker and management pushed Choutos closer to an exit.

On the bright side of things Panionios managed to acquire another set of firm hands in between the post in Thomas Belic, while a large Slavic contingent add depth to the roster. Hull City’s Yann Ekra will spend the next six months with Panionios, but the 18-year-old will likely be used a developmental experiment with his new employers.

In: Thomas Belic (FK Teplice), Davor Kukec (Inter Zapresic), Martin Latka (Slavia Prague), Yann Ekra (on loan from Hull City U-19).

Out: Giannoulis Fakinos (Ilioupoli), Pavel Drsek (SK Kladno), Dimitrios Sialmas (Ethnikos Piraeus), Mehmet Hetemaj (loaned to Thrasyvoulos), Pavel Plaskonny (released), Konstantinos Kapetanos (AO Kerkyra), Giannis Kondis (loaned to Apollon Kalamarias), Dimitrios Siovas (loaned to Ionikos Nakaia), Thanasis Palaskas (loaned to Ilisiakos), Lambros Choutos (PAOK).

Net Profit: – 750.000 €

Panathinaikos applied to acquire several players to revamp their bid for success in the UEFA Champions League, yet sadly, hardly any of those bids succeeded. The ‘Trifylli’ were interested in several South American stars, but their current right’s holders were not willing to part ways this winter.
Instead of signing the likes of Ajax’s Leonardo, Real Zaragoza’s Ricardo Oliveira, River Plate’s Falcao, or Besiktas’ Bobo, Panathinaikos settled for hte acquisition of Polish defender Jakub Wawrzyniak from Polish side Legia Warsaw. Also joining the OAKA Spyros Louis tenants is David, as the Brazilian defender joins Panathinaikos on a free transfer from Palmeiras.

While the failure of adding to their ranks was a big winter storyline for Panathinaikos, the bigger headlines were related to departures. Dimitrios Papadopoulos kickstarted the exit list when he was released by the club in November, before signing on at Serie A side US Lecce.
Rodrigo Souza was then allowed to join Brazilian giants Corinthians, but the move had no comparison to the departure of Greece international Alexandros Tziolis as he joined Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on a six-month loan deal.

The 23-year-old gave a stellar performance when Panathinaikos visited the Weserstadion in the Champions League group stages, and with his man of the match performance, Tziolis impressed Bremen bench boss Thomas Schaaf.

A quiet winter for the capital club is likely expected to translate into a busy summer transfer period, as rumors already begin to filter their way through Athens.

In: David (Palmeiras), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw).

Out: Dimitrios Papadopoulos (US Lecce), Rodrigo Souza (Corinthians), Stefanos Siontis (loaned to Thrasyvoulos), Alexandros Tziolis (loaned to Werder Bremen), Nikolaos Pantidos (loaned to Ilisiakos).

Net Profit: + 1.010.000 €

The 2007/2008 Beta Ethniki Champions have not been able to adjust to the pressures of the Greek Super League, as Panserraikos’ return to the top flight looks to be a short stay. Stuck in the relegation zone, a brutal home record has been just half the story for ‘Liontaria’.
Their inability to stay consistent has been an active force in their crumble, as strong results have been quickly overshadowed by bitter losses.

Once a regular fixture in the Super League, Panserraikos’ aim in the winter transfer window was to reinforce its squad ahead of a long stretch of tough games.

Like many teams in Greece, Panserraikos was quick to recruit a long list of Slavic talents in order to stay within the limited ranks of the Super League. A notable domestic transfer came from Thessaloniki side Aris FC, who sent Marco Aurelio to Serres on a loan deal.

While there is plenty of talent arriving in Serres, you have to think that Panserraikos will only succeed if the already-installed core of players are able to perform – something of a worry for the club’s loyal supporters.

In: Marco Aurelio (on loan from Aris Thessaloniki), Aleksandar Mutavdzic (KAA Gent), Nastja Ceh (FK Khimki), Radisa Ilic (OFK Belgrade), Nino Bule (Inter Zapresic), Kris Bright (Kristiansund BK), Kristian Velichkov (on loan from Lokomotiv Sofia U-19).

Out: Giorgos Papadopoulos (Veria), Marcelo (Figueirense), Anastasios Pagonis (loaned to Eordaikos), Aurelien Collin (released), Robert Petrov (Cherno More), Jose Luis Jerez (Ethnikos Piraeus), Giorgos Gougoulias (PAS Giannina), Konstantinos Manousaridis (loan return to PAOK).

Net Profit: + 50.000 €

PAOK improved on its summer spending, as Thodoris Zagorakis assured the PAOK public that the team was capable of signing stars throughout the year.

Oliver Sorlin joins the club for a six-month loan spell from French side Stade Rennais. Brazilian Lino followed suit a few days later, as PAOK secured his services on a free transfer from Portuguese giants FC Porto.

In a bizarre domestic sweep featuring Lambros Choutos, PAOK signed the former Olympiacos striker after a disgruntled Panionios board decided to release the former Greece international.

The only departures from the Toumba Stadium featured a handful of loan deals regarding prospects joining Beta Ethniki sides.

In: Stavros Tsoulakos (loan return from Olympiakos Volos), Olivier Sorlin (on loan from Stade Rennais), Lino (FC Porto), Lambros Choutos (Panionios).

Out: Stavros Tsoulakos (loaned to Kalamata), Konstantinos Manousaridis (loaned to AO Kerkyra), Konstantinos Manousaridis (returned from loan with Panserraikos, and then loaned to AO Kerkyra).

Net Profit: 0 €

Thrasyvoulos finds itself also in a rut, and in a situation many clubs in Greece consider a nightmare. Part of the three-team relegation zone, the outlook does not look good for the side from Fyli.
Sakis Tsiolis’ side has gone far and wide to invest in several loan deals, and permanent acquisitions, in order to stay alive in the Super League.

Experienced Super League youngster and Finnish prospect Mehmet Hetemaj was acquired on a loan deal from Panionios, in a bid to add some flare to a very inconsistent attack. With Thrasyvoulos’ offense showing up only on occasion, Serbian midfielder Nikola Trajkovic was also imported in order to add depth in the midfield.

The biggest loss was likely Efstathios Rokas, who joined Asteras Tripolis after Thrasyvoulos agreed to send the 24-year-old to the Arcadian club. He was a critical contributor in the Thrasyvoulos defense, and his departure will leave a gap requiring plenty of cover.

In: Mehmet Hetemaj (on loan from Panionios), Federico Martorell (on loan from Club Deportivo O’Higgins), Nikola Trajkovic (on loan from Red Star Belgrade), Domagoj Abramovich (FC Inter Turku), Leon Knight (Rushden & Diamonds).

Out: Carlos Markora (Preveza), Markos Dimos (Ethnikos Piraeus), Carlos Enrique de Castro (Apollon Kalamarias), Efstathios Rokas (Asteras Tripolis), Michalis Fragos (loaned to Preveza), Giorgos Poulakos (Ilisiakos), Sally Sarr (FC Wil).

Net Profit: 400.000 €

Skoda Xanthi has always been a strong defensive team, but their ‘Achilles Heel’ has been their inability to score goals. The Thracian club had Tomasz Radzinski as their scoring king last season, but as he bitterly left Greece for the Netherlands, Xanthi was unable to replace him.
Charilaos Pappas was brought in from AEK Athens, but the youthful Greek striker hasn’t made much impact since his arrival in late August.

There appears to be, however, thanks to the addition of veteran Czech striker Libor Dosek. The 30-year-old made his debut this past weekend against Levadeiakos, and impressively scored a hat trick in his first appearance for his new employers.

If Dosek can continue to his scoring record for the remainder of the season, there is no reason why Xanthi cannot climb the standings and attempt to reach Europe next season with a berth in the playoffs.

On the export list, Stavros Lambriakos left the club as the 34-year-old made it clear it was no longer possible for him to continue playing Xanthi. Infamour striker Roman Wallner also left the Skoda Xanthi Arena for LASK Linz, while Marcelinho joined Beta Ethniki side Kalamata on a loan deal.

In: Pawel Linka (Lech Poznan), Libor Dosek (Sparta Prague), Efthimos Kotitsas (Ionikos Nikaia), Jaime Duran (on loan from Monarcas Morelia).

Out: Dan Marius Mitu (Vereinslos), Fernando Adrian Lorefice (loan return to CSD Defensa y Justicia), Roman Wallner (LASK Linz), Stavros Lambriakos (Aris Thessaloniki), Marcelinho (loaned to AO Kalamata).

Net Profit: 0 €

* Team banners courtesy of sport24.gr

I might still be able to cover high-profile matches in the League, as well as the Cup during the week; not to mention Panathinaikos’ quest to go far in the UEFA Champions League.

Olympiacos fans, however, can head over to my Olympiacos Blog and get their fix of previews and reviews of matches – and much, much more – each week. The same can be said for AEK fans, as Chris takes care of you at over at the AEK Blog.

So here we go ladies and gentlemen…

Another weekend in the books, and it looks like there will be another Super League title added to Olympiacos’ very large trophy cabinet. The Greek Champions moved to eleven points ahead of PAOK, and twelve ahead of Panathinaikos, thanks to results for the pair in Crete and Thessaloniki favouring the ‘Eryhthrolefki’.

Olympiacos CFP 2-1 OFI Crete FC
Diogo 7′, Galletti 67′ – Simic 62′

Only two games took place on Saturday, rather than the traditional three matches. In Piraeus, Olympiacos returned home after a 2-0 Greek Cup win over OFI, as the same Cretan club visited the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium. Olympiacos dominated for most of the match, but the score-line didn’t do justice for ‘O Thrylos’. Diogo opened the scoring for the hosts just seven minutes in, but Aleksandar Simic replied for the Cretans shortly after the restart. Luciano Galletti grabbed the winner, soon after the Argentine was introduced as a second half substitute. [Read more...]

Ergotelis FC 1-0 Panathinaikos FC
Romano 55′

Ergotelis capped a rare double against Panathinaikos, as the Cretan side enflicted a shock 1-0 loss on Henk Ten Cate’s men, to improve not only their situation in the standings, but prematurely destroy Panathinaikos’ title hopes. Ante Rukavina was sent off just after the interval, and within three minutes of the Croatian’s dismissal, Diego Romano fired the hosts ahead. It was a devastating loss for Panathinaikos, who fell behind their fierce rivals and league leaders Olympiacos by an astonishing twelve points ahead of the two-third mark in the Super League. [Read more...]

Panthrakikos FC 1-0 Iraklis FC
Riera 4′

An early goal from Sito Riera was all that Panthrakikos needed to overcome an ailing Iraklis. A bad week turned worse for the visitors, who also lost out against Asteras Tripolis in the Greek Cup on Tuesday. The hosts, meanwhile, improved on their surprising form in their first season in the Greek top flight. Another three points catapulted the Thracian club back into the top half of the table, and two points off the last playoff race.

Asteras Tripolis FC 2-0 Levadeiakos FC
Filomeno 33′, 63′

A brace from Lucio Filomeno continued Asteras Tripolis’ resurgence in recent weeks, as the Arcadian club cruised to a 2-0 win over Levadeiakos in Tripoli. The Argentine struck in both halves to assure his side of three points, and of some much needed breathing room between them and the Super League relegation zone. Levadeiakos, meanwhile, were frustrated but a stern Asteras defense. The Peloponnesian side kept eight-goal scorer Leonardo off the scoring charts, after the Brazilian had tallied in five straight games for the visitors.

Larissa FC 1-1 Panserraikos FC
Zurawski 17′ – Konstantinidis 90′

Another late goal from Panserraikos troubled Larissa, as the Serres based side struck late to spoil Stelios Giannakopoulos’ return to Greece. Poland international Maciej Zurawski struck after seventeen minutes to put Larissa ahead, but a stubborn Panserraikos climbed back on level terms Sotiris Konstantinidis ahead of the final whistle, as Larissa failed to defeat the ‘Liontaria’ for the second time in five days. Still strapped in the relegation zone, and tipped to remain in the bottom three, it was a valuable point for Hugo Broos’ men who followed up their 1-0 win over Larissa in the Cup on Wedesnday with a crucial tie at the Alkazar Stadium.

Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC 1-1 Skoda Xanthi FC
Martorell 12′ – Poy 26′

Skoda Xanthi’s winless streak on the road was extended to six games, as Thrasyvoulos became the sixth team in the series of a half dozen games to frustrate Giorgos Paraschos’ men. Federico Martotell gave the hosts the lead after just twelve minutes with a sharp header past Michael Gspurning, but Xanthi replied within the opening half hour through Mauro Poy. Despite the dismissal of Thrasyvoulos midfielder Nikola Trajkovic, Xanthi failed to take advantage of their strength in numbers. Few opportunities were created by the Thracians; allowing Thrasyvoulos to hold on for a valuable point, while Xanthi continued to slip away from the playoff race.

Aris FC 0-0 PAOK FC

It was another goalless draw between two of Thessaloniki’s fiercest rivals, as the biggest northern Greek derby ended with a stalemate at Aris’ Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium. Playing for the second time in two weeks, the result was a repeat from the cup match in Toumba. Despite being under new management, as Enrique Hernandez was let go just days prior to the derby; Aris manage to control the match, and looked more promising to score. PAOK, however, stayed firm and held on to claim a valuable point in Thessaloniki. While a draw with their rivals in their opponent’s stadium is usually a great feat, the realization that their title quest is slipping away is a grim reality for a rejuvenated PAOK. Nonetheless, both sides will lock horns again on Wednesday, as the Greek Cup pairs the sides at the same ground for a final replay.

AEK Athens FC 3-0 Panionios GSS
Blanco 7′, Edinho 27′, Scocco 47′

While rumblings in behind-the-scenes at AEK cause a boardroom distraction, Dusan Bajevic and his players showed they were very focused on the task at hand on Sunday. An all South American trio paved the way for the hosts, as AEK cruised to a 3-0 win over Panionios at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium. Ismael Blanco opened the scoring after just seven minutes, and Edinho struck just before the half hour mark to make it 2-0. With the score already convincing, an early second half strike confirmed AEK’s performance as Ignacio Scocco struck to make it 3-0 after forty-seven minutes. It was a big boost for AEK, who host Olympiacos in a week’s time. Panionios on the other hand, will look to rebound when they tackle Veria in the Greek Cup on Wednesday.

Next Matchday – Round 20:
OFI Crete FC vs. Larissa
Iraklis FC vs. Aris FC
Panionios GSS vs. Panthrakikos FC
Panserraikos FC vs. Thrasyvoulos Fylis FC
PAOK FC vs. Ergotelis FC
Levadeiakos FC vs. Panathinaikos FC
Skoda Xanthi FC vs. Asteras Tripolis FC
AEK Athens FC vs. Olympiacos CFP

Aside from his forwards, Asteras boss Nikos Kostenoglou relied heavily on Greek-born talents as he selected a remarkable amount of seven Greeks to the starting line-up. Meanwhile, their opponents were competitors in the bottom half of the Super League standings, but there was little resistance from Sakis Tsiolis’ men who gave nothing but a lacklustre performance in one of Thrasyoulos’ most important fixtures to date.

With just two points separating both sides ahead of kickoff in Tripoli, it was expected that a gritty match would pan out between two sides searching for safety. It all went to plan for much of the opening ten minutes. But as the clock reach double digits, Asteras looked to have the strength in numbers as they crept towards Thraysvoulos’ goal.

By the fourteen minute mark, the Peloponnesian side registered its first opportunity of the match with newly signed Kaounos testing Thrasyvoulos thoroughly. The winter acquisition perplexed the Thrasyvoulos’ defenders before firing a shot on ‘keeper Peterson Pecanha, who seemed over generous when he allowed a huge rebound for the Greek striker. Much to the Brazilian shot stopper’s relief, Kaounos wasn’t as accurate on the follow up effort and narrowly shot wide of the gaping goal.

Not more than fifteen minutes later, Kaounos made up for his prior miss with a strike etching Asteras onto the scoreboard. Left alone inside the box, Kaounos reacted quickly to slot home the loose ball past Pecanha.

In a hole after just twenty-nine minutes, Thrasyvoulos attempted to crawl back to level terms. The process looked to be rolling as of the thirty-seven minute mark, but a failed shot from Slovakian Josef Kozlej kept the score-line in Asteras’ favour.

Holding the lead heading into halftime, it was not long after the restart that Asteras pushed to extend the margin. Lucio Filomeno dribbled his way into the Thrasyvoulos box on fifty-seven minutes, and with a shot shortly after his magical run, the Argentine looked destined to score until Pecanha flashed out his right foot to make the save.

Continuing the trend of pressure, Filomeno had a second chance to tally and this time he made no mistake. Petros Kanakoudis whipped in a free-kick for the hosts, and with a great leap, Filomeno rose to the occasion and thumped a header past Pecanha to make it 2-0 for the home side.

Seemingly devastated by Asteras’ second marker on the scoreboard, Thrasyvoulos’ reaction was stunningly absent as Asteras continued to hold possession and linger around the Thrasyvoulos box.

However, it wasn’t until the eighty-fourth minute that Asteras scored again. Kaounos won his side a penalty, but his striking partner Filomeno took the honours and with a rather ugly effort beat Pecanha to pile up the misery for Tsiolis’ men.

Focusing their attention on their Cup encounter with Iraklis on Thursday, an important series of matches for Asteras Tripolis fortunately started off with a win for the Arcadian club.

Already eliminated from the Greek Cup, Thrasyvoulos will look to improve on its drop zone state when they meet with Skoda Xanthi in Fyli on Sunday.

Asteras Tripolis 3-0 Thrasyvoulos
Kaounos 29′, Filomeno 58′, 84′

Yellow Cards:
Asteras Tripolis – Ladakis 13′, Psomas 38′.
Thrasyvoulos – Sotirchos 18′, Katsikis 24′, Rocastle 67′, Martorell 83′.

Asteras Tripolis (Nikos Kostenoglou): Abaris, Esteves, Lazaridis, Kanakoudis (68′ Fytanidis), Psomas, Ladakis, Cardozo, Zairi (79′ Damonte), Kaounos, Rokas (46′ Marcelao), Filomeno.

Thrasyvoulos (Sakis Tsiolis): Pecanha, Belegrinis, Sotirchos, Ventura, Martorell, Rocastle, Katsikis (65′ Karamalikis), Michos (57′ Chloros), Kozlej (73′ Alves), Wellington, Barrientos.

Referee: Ilias Mazarakos

Venue: Asteras Tripolis Stadium, Tripoli, Greece.