Controversy at the EPO regarding the Cup schedule, the possibility of the “16” phase starting in early 2024 is visible!

In puzzle for strong solvers the program of the first matches of the “16” phase is evolving Greek Cupwhich is required to be taken out by EPO. The eight games, we remind you, are to be held the three days from December 5 to 7 and the return matches in the second week of 2024, from 9 to 11 January. Of course, the program is dominated by premature final, which resulted from the draw of October 26, between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos, with the first match taking place at the Leoforos stadium. However, there are a number of issues.

On Saturday (18/11) it became known that the Greek Football Federation had issued one draft programwhich “showed” the “eternal” derby Wednesday, December 6. Something like this, however, is more than unlikely to happen and this has to do with the fact that December 6 is the anniversary of the assassination of Alexandros Grigoropoulos. In Athens – as in other Greek cities, but especially in the capital – they are expected large gatherings and memory marches, as well as strong police measures for the possibility of incidents, which will, logic says, be in the same spirit as the also strong measures for the Polytechnic University. The center will especially be a “lobster”, while traffic arrangements will be made.

In short, on such a day it is expected that almost all the police of Attica will be on the streets for the anniversary of the murder of the 15-year-old. Last year, for example, there were 4,200 police officers on the streets of the capital! Something similar is expected to happen this year as well.

Nor, however, the next day, that is, the Thursday, December 7there is a chance that the police will allow the big game to take place, since on that day he is coming to Athens – and not to Thessaloniki, as was originally arranged – Recep Tayyip Erdoganescort at least 300 people and nine ministers! The capital, as one can understand, will be a real “fortress” during those two days. The solution, which goes through the minds of the EPO people, to set the match on Tuesday night (5/12, 21:00), is not excluded to provoke the reaction of the teams, since on Sunday they have games for the league and on Thursday crucial European matches in the Europa League. They should play, that is, three matches within five 24 hours!

With these and with these, the EPO is concerned about the program of the Greek Cup and they do not rule out, in fact, as “dikisports” reports, that the entire phase of the “16” be moved to the beginning of the new year and that the rematches go further! It should be noted that it is not only Panathinaikos-Olympiakos that gives the people of the federation a headache, but also AEK-Aris, to be held in New Philadelphia. Within the coming week, and probably after the match of the national team against France, we will know the final decisions.

We remind the couples of the “16” phase:

1. OFI-Kifisia

2. Panathinaikos-Olympiakos

3. PAOK-Volos

4. AEK-Aris

5. Asteras Tripoli-Panserraikos

6. Levadeiakos or Lamia-Nike Volos

7. Panaitolikos-Athens Kallithea FC

8. AEL-Yuchtas or Atromitos