Six of the 18 games in the three-week period after the Easter break will culminate in the most exciting play-offs in Super League 1.

Everything related to the champion and other positions will be decided in 21 days, and the first four moves showed something that cannot go unnoticed and from which useful conclusions and conclusions follow. Most importantly, of course, of the four contenders for the title, two lost a lot of ground in this race. In the 3rd round of the mini-championship, it was PAOK after the defeat in G. Karaiskakis of Olympiakos at the 4th Olympiakos after being defeated by Panathinaikos in the Leoforos derby. Panathinaikos and AEK with 69 points are +6 by the Red-Whites and +9 by the Northern Doubleheader respectively, they are clearly in the lead and it remains to be seen if they will continue at the same pace after a two-week break.

This break, combined with the decisive in-game day 5 that follows, could be the deciding moment for the battle to continue. The reason is clear, as in the matches at Toumba and Faliro, PAOK (against Panathinaikos) and Olympiacos (against AEK) will have one last chance to get back in the game. In any other case, the last five matches take on a regulatory role for them, now having 3rd place as their main goal. The title will also be a “race” for the two as they search for the next big wins while locking in the 1st-2nd positions leading to the Champions League. It goes without saying that in the event that only one of the two goes out with three away points, they gain an advantage at a key point, at which the continuous Wednesday-Sunday matches also begin. games.

It is also important how the teams perform after the break as both Panathinaikos and AEK are in good form at the moment and this could affect their pace. “The championship will be decided in the last second of the last match,” AEK coach Matias Almeida has long said, and as exaggerating as it may seem, it is not so unlikely. Even the possibility of a draw cannot be ruled out, and the third and final criterion is the position that the teams occupy in the regular season of the league that declares the champion. In this case, Panathinaikos will have an advantage. If you look at the schedule, apart from the Panathinaikos-AEK game in Leoforos, which could also decide the title as the winner will definitely have an advantage over the opponent, there are matches in which points loss lies in wait. In addition, the -+2 point advantage the Greens had taken into the regular season was lost in their theoretically easier game against Volos in Leforos.

Both will play PAOK at home and Olympiacos in Faliro, requiring 90 minutes, during which all scores are revealed.

Nikos Karageorgiou: The two trailblazers have the most consistency in both the regular season and the playoffs.

The depth of her quality line-up and the way Almeida manages it seems to be the Union’s big weapon in these back-to-back matches, though the constant injuries she sustains due to her intensity and pressure play could prove to be decisive. Ivan Jovanovic’s team, with the most team stats, the best suspension function, efficiency, and the backbone of players who have been competing together since last year, “runs through” an eight-game streak without breaking their net. In total, in 30 league games, PAO has the second best defense in Europe with 12 passive goals (41 for) and a record of 21 wins, 6 draws and just 3 losses. On the other hand, AEK, clearly more aggressive in their game, scored 56 goals and conceded 15 in 30 matches with 22 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses.

“K” requested the opinion of Nikos Karageorgiou on the continuation of the games. An experienced technician with his football experience, including in PAOK and Panathinaikos, does not hide the fact that the upcoming 5th game day will be the most important for the development of the playoffs.

“If Panathinaikos and AEK manage to get away unscathed, I think then we can talk about a “race for two”. The rest will be left behind. But imagine the opposite. In other words, PAOK and Olympiacos must win. Then everything will start over. I hear a lot of people say that PAOK is focused on the Cup final right now. But how to do that? PAOK cannot qualify for the finals with consistent bad results in the playoffs. This also applies to Olympiacos. With a win over AEK, they can get close to three points from the top. So everything will be open if PAOK and Olympiacos use their seats.”

The 60-year-old coach does not hide the fact that the performances of Panathinaikos and AEK have paid tribute to football so far. “These are the two teams that show the most consistency both in the regular season and now in the playoffs. They are based on the plans of their coaches, which may vary but approach a high degree of success. As for Panathinaikos, barring scoring difficulties, it is effective even in the few phases it creates. Of course, the process of regular planning and launch plays an important role in this. AEK with its aggressive style of play and relentless pressure manages to wear down the opponent. He also earns a lot of revs due to the depth he has on his roster. Those who enter the field not only replace those who leave, but also contribute. I don’t see fatigue, I think that in terms of strength and psychology, both teams are on the same wavelength.”

But what happens to Olympiacos and PAOK? “As for the rest of the teams, Olympiacos is paying the price for the fact that during the year he did not have a clear plan, changed coaches and players, and those who sat on his bench could not find the necessary competitive chemistry. It goes without saying that I do not agree with any changes to his technical manual. He had a very good coach (C.S. Martins) and I don’t understand why he made the decision to fire him in the summer. PAOK is purely a team of its coach, a team that, while playing perhaps the most balanced football, still plays a leading role in promoting young players. I believe that it is in his power to qualify for third place in the playoffs,” emphasizes Mr. Karageorgiou.

Finally, there is another battle against the backdrop of the European ticket: “In the match between Volos and Aris for fifth place, although Aris’ lineup is clearly better, the fact that for a long time the Volos team focused exclusively on these two matches show me that he will be well-read and it is possible that he will receive the ticket.”