PAOK-Asteras: With the Thessaloniki team out of Europe, the Arkades are looking for a result

PAOK and Asteras Tripoli “dueling” in Toumba in the premiere of the two teams this year Stoiximan Super League (20/08, 20:00), in -probably- the most interesting matchup of the incomplete season, after the postponement of the games AEK-Panaitolikos and Panathinaikos-Atromitos.

To begin with, the hosts are in very good form with back-to-back games in their qualifiers Conference Leaguewhile the morale is also in full swing after the 3-0 qualification victory over Hajduk Split which gave the ticket for the playoffs of the tournament, where they will face the Hearts. His team Razvan Lucescu is still finding its feet, wants to strengthen in the midfield and at the ends of the attack, but the first samples in Europe are positive since young players like Konstantelias and Koulierakis come… forward and improve parts of their game, the “old” Zivkovic and Swab add experience, while Samata, Ekong and Ozdoev who are this year’s additions are adapting day by day to the philosophy of the Romanian technician.

In the preparation of the match with Asteras, o PAOK has several absences which make his work even more difficult, with Harry Tsingara and the Felipe Soares to stay out of mission. The former underwent treatment in the swimming pool, while the Portuguese will be out of training for the next 1.5 months, as the tests showed a contusion in his biceps, and in fact a grade 2 contusion. At the same time, Loucescu cannot count on the Koulierakis either, LyratziKenziora, Vrakas and Narey, while the positives are his return Tailor to the mission.

On the opposite bank, Asteras Tripoli he doesn’t travel to Thessaloniki to simply appear competitive, but to steal impressions, to do… damage to a big opponent from very early on and get a point or points. The Arcadia team with Milan Rastavac to return to the bench is looking for a fresh start, which can erase the last few bad seasons and everyone wants to go the extra mile and not just secure a stay as soon as possible. It should be noted, in fact, that Rastavacs has set a difficult goal from the start, the conquest of the novibet Greek Cup!

In purely competitive terms, the transfers may not have been completed but so far, the additions show that Asteras wants to level up. The position of the main striker was taken by Juan Bautista Miritellowho has built a good name in Latin America and a great effort was made to acquire him, while the roster was strengthened with Nikos Kaltsa, Vassilis Mandzis and Diamantis Houhoumis, players with experience, while an internal transfer should also be considered Jose Luis Valiente who returned to the courts after a year after suffering a serious knee injury.

Last season in the premiere, the “two-headed team of the North” won 1-0 against Panaitolikos with a goal Brandon Thomas from an assist by Caled Narei, while the yellow and blues had taken the point of the tie, in that incredible 3-3 with Volos at the Panthessaliko Stadium. In the games between them, PAOK counts twelve victories, o Star four, while the same number of games have ended in draws.

The possible compositions of the two teams:

PAOK (Razvan Lucescu, 4-2-3-1): Kotarski – Sastre, Ekong, Michaelidis, Baba – Schwab, Ozdoev – Constantelias, Tyson, A. Zivkovic – Samata.

Asteras Tripoli (Milan Rastavac, 4-2-3-1): Papadopoulos – Carmona, Picsou, Kastanio, Alvares – Alagbe, Munafo – Crespi, Bartolo, Sito – Miritelo.