Immersed in a sea of toxicity, the PAOK-Olympiacos derby began well before its time and threatens… to flatten a competitive championship that has reached its 21st round without the tension of previous years. The highlight of the scandal was the (preliminary) refereeing of the appointment of the Slovak Ivan Krusljak as an objectionable referee for Olympiacos, not only because he had previously filed a complaint against him with UEFA, but also because he was described as the “child” of Lubos Misel, a former PAOK agent.
The announcement card war dangerously raised the tone and diverted attention from the competitive side of the deciding derby between the two teams tied for 3rd place as the title battle rages on forever.
This is the first game day where the top is not green but black and yellow, and it will be interesting to see AEK’s reaction now that he has passed first and instead of chasing him, others are chasing him. Union are trialled in Peristeri against Atromitos, who recently took points away from PAOK and Olympiakos there, while Panathinaikos have (theoretically) an easier schedule and look to profit from a competitive season full of pitfalls for all his rivals.
Pioneer trial AEK in Peristeri – PAO looking for reaction to Lamia.
In addition to Lamia, the other two teams that are directly involved in the fight for relegation have an opponent from the top six of the standings: Ionikos hosts Ari and Levadeiakos Volos. The other two games on the schedule are played between teams in the middle of the standings, not in playoff bidding but not in danger either.
Summary of the program (21 rounds): SATURDAY: 17.00 OFI – PAS Ioannina, 19.00 Ionikos – Aris. SUNDAY: 17:00 Panathinaikos – Lamia, 17:30 Atromitos – AEK, 20:00 Panaitolikos – Asteras Tripoli, 20:30 PAOK – Olympiakos. MONDAY: 16.00 Levadeakos – Volos.
Tournament table (20 games): AEK 47, Panathinaikos 45, PAOK 42, Olympiakos 42, Aris 31, Volos 29, Atromitos 25, Panaitolikos 23, Asteras Tr., 21, OFI 19, PAS Ioannina 19, Levadeiakos 13, Lamia 12, Ionikos 11.
Source: Kathimerini
David Jack is a sports author at 247 News Reel, known for his informative writing on sports topics. With extensive knowledge and experience, he provides readers with a deep understanding of the latest sports advancements and trends. David’s insightful articles have earned him a reputation as a skilled and reliable writer.