Jovanovic’s difficult but necessary decision in the first Europe list of the season

From the outset, the decision Ivan Jovanovic had to make when it came time to announce Panathinaikos’ first European roster in this summer’s qualifiers ahead of the games against Dnipro didn’t seem ‘easy’.

Not so much because the Greeks (either the homegrown or the rest of the “locals”) are few, but because the group of foreign footballers of the “Cloverleaf” is already large and three players should be “deleted”, plus Christian Ganea, who is not yet able to help the team.

The Serbia coach decided to wait until tonight (20/7), the deadline for the teams participating in the second qualifying round of the Champions League, to consider all the facts currently on the table. And to make a difficult but necessary decision based on the current situation of his players before the games against the Ukrainians.

Because “now” is one thing and what comes after the qualifying series, depending on how Panathinaikos goes on.

The “Greens” had to enter 23 players from list A, 17 foreigners and the 6 locals (Xenopoulos, Vagiannidis, Sideras, Lodingin, Kotsira, Ioannidis), plus of course an unlimited number (based on UEFA regulations) regarding the “small” list B, i.e. Fikai, Katris, Margonos and so on.

Jovanovic’s decision was to drop (at this point) Zeca Rodríguez and Aitor Candalapiedra from the list, the players who were eight months sober due to their cruciate ligament surgeries in October 2022.

Assuming that they are not yet able to generate the desired intensity and pressure, two such important games with the Ukrainians are expected to be… blood and clay.

Their level of readiness is lower and that was also shown in the last friendlies. That’s why they had to be left out of these games.

For Cherin, the choice was the same. The Slovenian international midfielder, who is vital to Panathinaikos’ midfield balance, is suffering from a bone swelling in his leg which occurred during July 4’s friendly against Petrolul in Mattersburg.

Since then, he has stayed away from training, treatment and individual programs and it was clear he would not be available for the games against the Ukrainians, so his ‘smear’ from the first EURO list was… a possibility.

Jovanovic spoke to all three of his players and explained the reasons why they had to be delisted at this point. Based on current status and data. Because in the next qualifying series the dates will be different and Panathinaikos (like all other teams) can change the composition of their next Euro list again at will.