Olympiacos need a two-goal win over Atalanta at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium (24/2, 19:45, COSMOTE SPORT 3 HD, Live on Sportish) to qualify for the next stage of the Europa League. The Red-Whites were back at home in a similar situation about 3.5 years ago and specifically in December 2018 against another Italian team, Milan, and achieved their goal.

The Piraeus team’s game against the Rossoneri was part of the last game in the group stage of the Europa League, but, like now against the Bergamasque team, it had the character of a knockout game. Olympiakos wanted a win by two goals to move up to 32nd place in the tournament and, led by Pedro Martins, managed to prevail 3-1 in Neos Faliro thanks to goals from Cisse (60th), Guillerme (70th) .) and Fortuni (81′, penalty), while Milan had meanwhile reduced to 2-1 with Zapatas (72′).

similarities and differences

Of course, just as there are similarities, there are also differences between the two games. At that time, Olympiakos was set up with a 4-2-3-1 system and Milan with a 4-4-2 system. Now the Portuguese coach reportedly prefers a formation with three central defenders (3-4-3) like he did in Bergamo, but it is not excluded that he will change his mind in the next few hours, especially after the relaxation and the Tactics the players will use on Thursday (24.2.) in the morning in Renti. Atalanta also plays with three central defenders (3-4-2-1), unlike Milan who had played with four at the back.

The Rossoneri had played with two centre-forwards Higuain and Crotone at Karaiskakis and the Bergamaski are likely to line up with Pasalic and Boga in the absence of the injured Zapata and Muriel (as they did against Fiorentina on Sunday). Although, according to the Italians, it is most likely that Gasperini will use Boga up front and Malinovski and Pasalic behind.

Incidentally, Atalanta lost 0-1 to Fiorentina at Artemio Franki, with the four violas playing in the back (4-3-3). And that may give Martins food for thought in view of the rematch at the Bergamaskern. Either way, the Piraeus team will want a 2-0, 3-1 or 4-2 win to qualify, as 1-0 and 2-1 will take the game to overtime. But even in this case, the red and white should be prepared.

He is looking for transcendence

Olympiacos will be looking to surpass themselves as the Italian side have a 2-1 advantage over their opening game in Bergamo and are 25th in the UEFA rankings while Olympiacos sit 37th^or and has a squad with three times the financial value (380,000,000) in relation to the Piraeus team (117,850,000 euros). Furthermore, we must not forget that in the last three years Atalanta have only been eliminated from European knockout games by Paris Saint-Germain last year in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Real Madrid last year in the top 16 of European inter-club competition .

However, Martins and the Olympiacos players are ready, tenacious and passionate to achieve the qualifying win, with around 16,000 red and white fans at their side – the Italian team will have around 700 fans.

The presence of the Olympic team in the stands after a two-month absence is an element that the Portuguese coach and players have stood by in the past 24 hours, but they must also do their job properly in the stands on pitch. That means the players have to come into the game strong, be focused, goal-oriented, efficient, have the balance in defense and attack, push high and be very careful in the static phases that hurt them in the first game.

By the way, the Portuguese coach will play 80 games in European competitions, 54 of them on the Olympiacos bench. At the same time, the Red-Whites are aiming to qualify for the Europa League’s 16 for the third straight season, which will be a record in their history.

Martin’s plan

As for the eleven, Martins is guided by a 3-4-3 formation with Vatslik, Manolas, Papastathopoulos, Cisse, Lala, Reabciuk, Embila, M. Kamara, A. Kamara, Masoura and Tikinio. Oniekourou also claims a place in the starting XI.

In the event that in the next few hours the Portuguese coach decides to differentiate the plan and continue with a 4-3-3 system, Vatslik, Lala, Reabciuk, Manolas (or Cisse), Papastathopoulos, Embila, M. Kamara expected to play: Bouchalakis, A. Kamara, Masouras (or Oniekourou) and Tikinio.

Gian Piero Gasperini, not counting on the injured Zapata, Muriel, Palomino and Mirantsuk, is set to open the game with Musso, Toloi, Demiral, Jimciti, Mele, Petchela, Froyler, Pauly, De Roussel, De Roussill, De Roussill begin .

Veteran Spaniard Carlos del Thero Grande was appointed by UEFA to referee the match.