PAOK-Panathinaikos: Act one in a packed Toumba

Act one in the packed Toumba! In the first of two great derbies that will decide one of the finalists of the Betsson Greek Cup, the PAOK welcomes him Panathinaikos at 19:30 (Cosmote Sport, News Bulletin 247, www.sportfm.gr), with the crowd returning to the stadiums.

One more game between the two teams, the third in the season and while three more are expected (the rematch at Leoforo and both for the playoffs). By PAOK so far to have one draw and one win (in the regular season of the league) and the Panathinaikos to look for the double in Toumba after April 2023. It is also about a pair that… met last year in the quarter-finals with the “black and white” getting the qualification, while in the 2021/22 season the two faced each other in the final, where the “clover” lifted the trophy.

The hosts are coming off a 1-1 home draw with AEK. A result which he maintained PAOK at the top of the standings with Panathinaikos, keeping Union at -2 and Olympiakos at -6. In fact, in a few days Toumba will open its doors for another derby, after all Razvan Lucescu will host the “red and whites”. In order to reach the semi-finals, the Thessalonians, who entered the institution from the round of 16 onwards, eliminated Volos and Panserraikos respectively, making it 4/4 and with an impressive score of 12-0 goals.

In pure competition, Razvan Lucescu does not count Vieirania, Ekong, Sastre, Nasberg. The team announced by the Romanian coach consists of Kotarski, Zivkovic, Otto, Kenziora, Koulierakis, Michaelidis, Baba, Rafa Soares, Tsigaras, Schwab, Ozdoev, Meite, Markos Antonio, Murg, Constantelias, Tyson, A.Zivkovic. , Despodoff , Brandon , Samata , Jimas ..

The visitors passed Serres a few days ago, winning with an emphatic 3-0 of Panserraikos and caught PAOK at the top of the Stoiximan Super League standings. In a few days, in fact, they will welcome Lamia at Leoforo and hope that the “two-headed team of the north” will not defeat Olympiacos, so that with their own three points they can climb alone first. The path to the top four of the Cup did not come… easy for the “greens”. First, in the round of 16, came the derby of the ages, where Olympiacos were knocked out in double-headers. With the first match drawing 1-1, the second at “G. Karaiskakis” remained at 0-0 after 120 minutes and Russian roulette was needed for the qualification ticket. And in the quarterfinals, his team Fatih Terim experienced a home defeat by Atromitos, but in the rematch against Peristeri, managed to win 2-0 and reach the semi-finals.

In the competition, Hugo, Akaidin, Verbitz, Limnios, Ioannidis, Djuricits, Magnuson, Palmer-Brown were left out. The mission consists of Lodingin, Dragovski, Xenopoulos, Vaiannidis, Huancar, Ruben, Senkefeld, Zeka, Bacachetas, Sporar, Bernard, Cerin, Mancini, Jedvai, Mladenovic, Kotsiras, Geremegev, Palasios, Vilena, Arao, Fikai, Kyriopoulos.

POSSIBLE ELEVENS:

PAOK (Razvan Lucescu): Kotarski – Otto, Keziora, Michaelidis, Baba – Schwab, Tsigaras – Despodov, Murg, Tyson – Thomas.

Panathinaikos (Fatih Terim): Lodingin – Vagiannidis, Gedvai, Arao, Huancar – Ruben, Cerin, Bakasetas – Bernard, Geremegev, Palasios.

Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)

Assistants: Honig Rozier (Netherlands), Inia Patrick (Netherlands)

Fourth: Papadopoulos

VAR: Erwin Blank (Netherlands), Nikolakakis

The rematch is set for February 21 (19:00) at “Apostolos Nikolaidis”.