Jovanovic maintains his strength in the pivot and the trio of Robben, Corbelis and Ceren

Ivan Jovanovic would have confirmed it right after the last duel between the “eternals”, on the evening of February 25 with Olympiacos in Valero and most importantly (as it turned out) 0-0 that “Alfalfa” won, having spent a “difficult” second half against Piraeus.

“We can learn a lot from this game for the rest of the qualifiers.”was one of the many words of the Serbian technician in the analysis he made at the press conference regarding the competitive part, after he watched Olympiacos “harass” for the first time with the power of his team’s position and created “suffocating” conditions in Panathinaikos, for a large part of the second half.

Jovanovic knows that in tomorrow’s Clasico (04/09, 21.00, COSMOTE SPORT 1 HD and LIVE on SPORT24) he will have to “respond” with something different. Because, despite the fact that the “red and whites” have changed their coach and Mitchell will not be on the opposite bench, it is recognized that Jose Añejo will try to preserve the elements of the way Olympiacos faced the “greens” in their last match. .

For the Panathinaikos coach, of course, every match is always different. Such are the conditions that are created each time and a large part of the set match (post-tactical leg) will be decided based on selection, second balls and duels. Areas where Panathinaikos fell behind in their last game against Olympiacos and will have to change their approach.

Especially in the midfield axis, because to a very large extent that is exactly where the balance of the derby will be determined. And there, Panathinaikos needs to introduce a tougher profile on the field in order to put more pressure on their “eternal” opponent to win back the ball and find a way to “prevent” Impelas and Huang from imposing their rhythm, “opening up” the field for Fortunis and the rest of the Olympiacos midfielders.

Bernard on the bench and “triangle” tension

So everything converges that for the second match in a row Bernard Duarte will remain on the bench (and will come on to the field as a substitute) with Jovanovic opting to keep the trio of Ruben Perez, Dimitris Korbelis and Adam Sheeren in midfield. Midline.

With the Spanish midfielder as a pure ‘6’, ‘Corby’ a few meters in front and to the right for the coverage he’ll need (and) the wingers and the Slovenian (who also featured in ‘Vikelidis’, more ‘new’ and ‘complete’ drills ) “Two clicks” in front of them, with the order to put additional pressure on the first balls of defense towards the Olympiacos midfielders.

This particular trio, spread out in an asymmetrical triangle on the field, obviously gives the “greens” more intensity and running, more aggressiveness in marking and trying to recover the ball and better consistency, whenever Olympiacos gets the ball into possession with its legs.

A formation that succeeded in the Aris match in Thessaloniki three days ago, as it absorbed the reasonable pressure exerted by the “yellow and black” in the first half, and in the second half it provided safety in holding the ball and in. The pace that now wanted to impose Panathinaikos, especially since Daniel Mancini and Andras Sporar entered the field.

With the “Greens” also confirming that – at this stage of the season – they are the team that probably has the best rounds and more stamina than the qualifiers, which increases the intensity and pressure, especially in the last half hour of the match, as the opponent begins to tire.

This will also play its role in tomorrow’s “battle” (9/4) with Olympiacos, in a match that will have a lot of tactics and patience, as Panathinaikos tries to raise the pace to his own, in order to “hit”. Then with all his “weapons”.