AEK – Panathinaikos: Why Enos is the favorite who needs to prove it | Blog – Yannis Siritis

Yannis Seretis writes about the AEK – Panathinaikos derby at the OPAP Arena and the highlights of the rivals in the derby where Trifyllios’ unbeaten streak will be ‘broken’ or ‘absolute’ for the new federation headquarters.

It is not easy to predict the outcome of the derby … in general. It is difficult to predict how a match will play out between a team that, through its ups and downs, remained unbeaten in 16 matches and did not concede more than one goal in any match, against a team that has improved relatively more with last season’s team, in the only home of the championship where it did not Even losing … half a point to the home team!

Many believe that the last matches of Panathinaikos and AEK and +7 in favor of Trifyllios after their matches with Ionikos and OFI and the defeat of the federation in Ioannina will play their part tomorrow. Disagree. “+7” will play no part in tomorrow’s derby. AEK will play for victory and Panathinaikos for “X2” and to maintain its unbeaten streak. Straightforward. This will happen on both “+8” and “+4”. But this recent failure of the union, which the four of Volos were “astounded by” and exaggerated, will play a role. The same thing happened to Panathinaikos after the pentathlon in “Panthessalykos”: its worst derby and a stupid draw against Avila against Olympiacos. So I have the impression that this painful defeat in Ioannina will benefit the federation in view of this particular derby. He will “collect it”, rally it. It will make everyone in the union more focused. The stake, after all, is not small: the most important thing for the AEK in case of defeat would not be the “-10” of the commander. This will be the approach of Olympiacos and PAOK. One you can beat to get the title. two and three? Much more difficult, almost impossible!

However, in my eyes AEK is tomorrow’s favorite. Not because he plays in the OPAP Arena, where he has a 5/5 and 13-1 goalscoring record, with five easy wins, including one in a derby against PAOK. The seat plays a role too, especially this one! This will be seen more in the event leading up to Clover. However, the main reason why AEK has more chances of winning is related to the greater depth of its benches and the more energy it deposits as a whole into its games. Together, these two factors constitute a significant advantage in favor of the federation, which will be valid even if we are talking, for example, about a cup final that will take place tomorrow in the “neutral” OAKA. The atmosphere in the OPAP Arena gives an additional advantage to AEK, like Leoforos, when united and … cheerful, it is an additional “weapon” for Panathinaikos (remember this year’s matches with Astera, Ari, Olympiakos and AEK). Even there. Football is not played by seats, but by teams. And AEK plays really good football. Not as good as it is said and written, but Almeida is beautiful and efficient. But it’s not perfect! Certainly not “alien”.

It is absolutely “worldly”. with its strengths and weaknesses. With its defensive problems – and on the right wing who plays and in central defense and also who plays. With the horrific failure of the always respected Araujo missing +10 goals in the league but no longer valued as a striker but as a “person” at AEK. With the serious absence of Jasinović and Eliasson, who were only partially replaced and in any case “shuffled” roles in the eleven teams he found amazing chemistry before the World Cup. And it has many advantages. Very good midfielders, heights in the defensive area, their pressure and energy in large spaces and in long periods of the game, with midfield substitutes galore: Mandalos, Van Weer, Zuber and Fernandes are likely to be on the bench tonight. And on the other hand? Yanidis with Vagiannidis in a 4-2-3-1 with Verbic as a starter or a Slovenian in a 4-3-3 with Korbelis as a starter. Terrible difference!

All this does not mean the victory of the Union. However, the home team has the best chances of winning. For Panathinaikos to leave unbeaten in this derby, which after so many years bears the color of “champion”, will have to oppose the legacy of “toughness” in the derby that it created from last year’s qualifiers and preserved this year, it must be presented with the same defensive organization without “messing up”. And most importantly: he is called upon to increase his success rates in the final effort. If he does not find it (that is, if Sporar-Pallacios is left without a ball again) he will not avoid defeat. Because apart from everything else, let’s never forget: With such emotional potential, only enhanced by the fantastic Timoteus Pouhats, apart from everything else, Panathinaikos hasn’t even had a second creative medium since the start of the season, he continues to “run An unbelievable surplus. The surplus that if he does not acquire three more players who will help him tremendously (even if he is behind, because with the club’s manipulation the January train is lost until they are acquired and played…), it will be ‘off’ and not completed. Sooner Or later…