The faces of the Olympiacos players were different this time. His gaze was hard and piercing. Her style is angry and determined. Self-concentration and self-confidence were at the highest level. Fortunis, Pontense, El Kaabi and Co. entered the field with shining eyes and made it clear right at the start of the game against Batska Topola that they would give Carvalhal their first “gift” with victory on their debut on the red bench – qualification for the knockout games of the Conference League.

A qualification that is 11^The for the Piraeus team over the last 14 years, with Olympiacos staying true to his appointment with his presence at the games in February, be it knockout games in the Champions League, the Europa League and now – for the first For the first time in its history – in the Conference League.

This means that the Red and Whites are represented in all three participating competitions, have achieved their first two goals, namely getting into the Europa League groups and remaining in Europe after January, and are now turning their attention back to the national competitions. And from what the Olympiacos football players have shown, in the second half of the season they will do so with greater stubbornness, passion and the will to achieve their goals.

Carvalhal saw Fortunis provide three assists in the game against Backa Topola, be involved in another goal and continue the best season of his career on the brakes. He also saw compatriot Podense score two goals, get back into form and face the future full of confidence.

Olympiacos worked very well offensively

The Portuguese coach also saw that the two Moroccans El Kaabi and El Arabi scored against the Serbian team, which is very important for the psychology of the center forwards. He saw Rodiney make a difference with an assist, Retsos help significantly in defense and attack and Paschalakis make two important saves. And the icing on the cake was Richards’ first appearance with the Olympiakos first team, competing at this level after a year and a half.

Carvalhal set up the lineup that Martinez usually uses because he didn’t want to “tweak” the formation and make face changes in his first game on the red bench, and he did that right. What the Iberian coach tried to improve in Rentis in the last 24 hours was the psychology of the players and he worked a little more on high pressing, winning the ball and correct circulation.

The Piraeus team worked very well offensively, their players scored five goals, another goal was disallowed for offside, they played a total of ten finals at home with Ilic making some difficult saves, and generally performed very well in the middle and up front good face.

On the other hand, Backa Topola’s two goals, due to individual and team mistakes by the red and white team, showed that important work still needs to be done in defense. Olympiakos’ blocking function needs to be corrected, through work in training but also through the necessary additions in the January transfer window, which is now approaching. Because Olympiacos Piraeus scored 11 goals in six games in the Europa League group, but at the same time conceded 14 goals, and that has to change with a view to the knockout games in February.

The movements that show Carvalhal’s thoughts

And one last thing, but no less important. Carvalhal – if the result allowed – made some decisions and internal changes in the game against Backa Topola that are significant and could indicate some of his thoughts for the future. For example, El Kaabi and Masouras pushed the opposing full-backs very high and the two covered Fortouni’s team defensively as they converged on the axis and went on the attack.

Podense started his attacks from the left position, but showed that he can also play well as a winger and his two goals came right there, from the height of the penalty area. Biel, who came on as a substitute in the last half hour, initially played as a winger and then as a right winger. Alexandropoulos, who struggled in the final twenty minutes, was initially placed behind El Arabi and then dropped alongside Carvallios.

In fact, Olympiacos finished the game with El Arabi at the forefront of the attack, behind him Podense, Biel on the right, Richards on the left and Carvallios and Alexandropoulos in central midfield. This shows that in Carvalhal’s eyes, the latter two are the alternatives to Esse and Kamara. And of course an important element is the re-activation of El Arabi, who played for half an hour, scored a goal and became the oldest goalscorer in Olympiacos’ history in European competitions.

In any case, the Olympiakos footballers set the slogan of counterattack with their image against the Serbian team and now turned their attention to the national competitions.

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