Olympiacos-Genk: The first “red and white” step against the background of the groups

For the first step, Olympic!

Piraeus hosts (22:00, Cosmotesport1, News Bulletin 247, sport-fm.gr) Genk for the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League in “G. Karaiskakis”, with Diego Martinez to make an official debut.

The “red and white” with a “gun” at their headquarters want to bend the Belgians, who come from harsh exclusion from Servette in the Champions League qualifiers to get closer to the groups. The rematch is scheduled for next Thursday (17/8, 21:00) at Genk Arena.

“We are very much looking forward to the match, it is our first game of the new season, the first in “G. Karaiskakis” I don’t know any team that is 100% ready this season. We are full of expectations, ambitions. We are ready to be at our best to get the best out of this match», emphasized the 42-year-old technician at the press conference. “What is important is to show personality on the pitch and show off the elements we have worked on“, added the Spaniard and signaled a spirited appearance.

Martinez will have at his disposal Huang, but he will understandably get time off the bench as he seems unable to complete 90 minutes, not ruling out the possibility of being used from the start and playing as long as he can. The presence of Ibora in the midfielders must taken for granted, while the remaining two are claimed by three players (M. Kamara, Huang, Carvalho). At the same time, there is a dilemma for Retsu’s partner in the center of defense, with Freire and Doe being the two candidates.

On the other side, Genk have to deal with the jitters caused by the elimination by Servette in the Champions League qualifiers, after they were the big favorites to qualify and saw the dream of… sheet extinguished early. Vranken will not have the team captain at his disposal, Heinenwhile Fantera is not completely ready, but followed the Belgian champion’s mission to Greece.

“I don’t think we should be disappointed with how we played in the two matches against Servette. Olympiacos is a very good team, they are playing at home and they will be chasing the win, so we have to be as well prepared as possible», he emphasized the 44-year-old coach and pointed out that the exclusion from Servette has not filled his team with pressure.

Olympiacos did not announce a squad and Diego Martinez will have all the players on the list at his disposal and from them he will decide who he will choose for the final squad.

The mission of Genk: Vanderfoord, Leysen, Van Krombruhe, McKenzie, Sadiq, Arteaga, Kayebe, Munios, Cuesta, Preciado, Kongolo, Aziz, Hrosowski, El Hadj, Galarsa, El Hanous, Fantera, Treasure, Shore, Oyen, Pencil, Baach, Tolu

Olympiacos (Diego Martinez): Paschalakis – Rodinei, Freire (Doi), Retsos, Kini – Ibora, M. Kamara, Carvallio – Masouras, Fortounis, El Arabi

Genk (Wutter Vranken): Vandevoort – Munios, Cuesta, McKenzie – Arteaga, Hrosowski, Pencil – El Hanous, Trezor, Tolu

Referee: Glen Nyberg (Sweden)

Assistants: Mahbod Beigi (Sweden), Andreas Segervist (Sweden)

Fourth: Adam Landebeck (Sweden)

VAR: Thiago Martins (Portugal), AVAR: Elder Maleiro (Portugal)