Mitchell’s plan, the big chance and why the Nantes win matters

When a team like Olympiacos have celebrated ten Champions League or Europa League knockout qualifiers in the last 12 years (and 13 in the last 16 seasons), tonight is a strange and awkward night for the players, the manager, the administration and the world will know that the European adventure for the season ends in the game against Nantes in Georgios Karaiskakis (3/11, 7:45 p.m., COSMOTE SPORT 2HD, LIVE Sportish).

However, the Red-Whites are forced to look ahead and are motivated to chase the win against the French by at least finishing their Europa League duties well.

It is logical and understandable these days that all the emphasis was on the league derby with Panathinaikos on Sunday (6/11, 7:30 p.m., COSMOTE SPORT 1HD, LIVE Sportish) in Apostolos Nikolaidis, but before that Mitchell and the Olympiakos players have work to do.

The Spanish coach is aware that every game and every result affects Olympiacos competitively and psychologically, although the specific with Nantes isn’t he no longer judges anything. And the Red and Whites want to go into the game against the Greens with a good mentality.

The reasons for winning the three points

So the players of the Piraeus team have many reasons to want to win the three points against the French team:

First, They are aiming for their first win of the season in European competitions, having drawn and lost so far.

Secondlywould like to get the three points for reasons of prestige.

Thirdthey want the win to boost their extra points in the UEFA rankings in the hope of better draws in European competitions in the future.

fourth, They expect revenge from Nantes for their 2-1 defeat at the start of the Europa League group stage with a goal from Gessant (93′).

FifthThen there is the financial advantage, because the victory is rewarded with 630,000 euros. and

Sixthfor some of the footballers starting tonight who haven’t had enough playing time so far in the season, it’s a good opportunity to show things and score points ahead of the next day in the Piraeus team.

Anyway, Mitchell said it during the press conference, and let’s get to the point: “It’s a perfect opportunity for the players to prove the coach wrong.”

It is recalled that Nantes want victory as they claim second place in the group which will allow them to progress in the Europa League knockout games – they will do it if they beat Red White and Qarabag Don’t beat Freiburg. Otherwise, the French team will continue in the Conference League.

Mitchell’s shot

In terms of competition, Mitchell is aiming for extensive rotation to keep most of the key players fresh and ready ahead of the derby with Panathinaikos.

Based on what the Spanish coach tested in Rentis over the past two days, the lead (in a 4-4-2 formation) is Tzolakis, Androutsos, Retsos, Kalogeropoulos, Vrousai, Bouhalakis, Kunde, Bowler, Aboubakar Kamara, Arabi and Ui Joe Huang. Vrsaliko and Cisse are also vying for a place in the starting XI.

Also available are Avila, Marcelo, Papastathopoulos, Doi, Reabciuk, Embila, Inbom Huang, Sapountzis, Paschalakis, and Papadoudis. The suspended Ba, injured Gary Rodríguez and Valbuena, as well as Masouras and Biel have been left out of the 23-man squad.