The men’s volleyball league championship has reached the finish line. The play-off matches (phase 1-4) start today, the qualification to the final is determined by three victories. Olympiacos, having just won the Challenge Cup, will host (18:30) at the closed Melina Mercouris Stadium Rentis, Milos, the first match between the four best teams of the current season. In the semi-final series, Olympiacos are considered favorites to qualify for the final, but Mylonas have shown competitive consistency throughout the season and their players are expected to qualify for more than just participation in this phase. “We have to face an opponent whom we respect and who has improved a lot with the arrival of Nanopoulos. We need to be focused,” said Olympiacos head coach Alberto Giuliani.

The second semi-final series has all the elements of a derby as PAOK and Panathinaikos face each other. Today’s first game will take place in Thessaloniki (19:45, ERT3).

The Greens may have dominated this year’s matches, but the games that will determine qualification to the finals carry a different weight. Headquarters is expected to play an important role and Panathinaikos will have to try to break it from the first game.