Ingasson’s defensive leader, Sastre’s dream debut and hot week

PAOK easily overtook Panthessalikos, scoring four goals against Volos – with four different goalscorers – and entering the two hot derbies that follow with AEK for the Cup and Olympiakos in the league with the best possible psychology.

Dikefalos is by far the most formed team in the Greek championship as they have won 6 games in the last 6 games. The bad thing is that this streak came to him right after that tragic period with the consecutive defeats that forced even Razvan Lucescu to reconsider his goals for this season. He continues to have the best offense in the league with 40 goals in 18 games and the positive is that he’s now managing to keep the home side intact. He kept clean sheets for the 4th game in a row, although he suffered phases in the second half and showed again with Alexandros Paschalakis that he is also in good shape.

The game in Volos went perfectly for Razvan Lucescu’s team. PAOK led 3-0 with 63 ΄ and so the Romanian had an opportunity to manage his squad early. He gave Antonio Colak and Leo Zampa time, Jasmine Kurtic breaths and even Anderson Esiti.

Fantastic debut for Sastre

It’s obvious that Razvan Lucescu has a lot more opportunities at this point than before the holidays. The Romanian added another weapon to his quiver, giving Joan Sastre the opportunity to make his debut with the PAOK shirt. And what a debut… The Spaniard scored his first goal in Greece and promised an even brighter future. Sastre obviously “has” the right-back position, he seems to be an aggressive full-back who knows when to step aside and help development.

The goal he scored was a reward for his good first appearance. It should not be forgotten that PAOK will control their case with the compulsory clause in their loan deal from Mallorca if they play in 60% of the remaining games until the end of the season.

Ingason will remain the leader of the PAOK defense

Ingi Ingason’s goal was also important. The Icelander returned to his goals 322 days after the last goal he scored in the 2-2 win against Aris in Toumba last March. Of course, he also scored in PAOK B’s game against Panserraikos, but the goal he scored in Panthessalikos was the best proof that the Icelander is back for good. Lucescu gifted him a basic jersey for the fourth game in a row, showing in training that he is the first in the hierarchy of his team’s centre-backs since recovering from a serious knee injury.

Of course, the status on the field will be carried over soon… on the contract. The Icelander will become Dikefalos’ highest-paid stopper if he signs his contract extension. PAOK found everything in him, not finally reaching the million mark with his earnings, a sum in which the player’s claims moved, but to be close. From the moment Fernando Varela leaves either now or next summer, the Icelander will have the biggest contract from the Dikefalos defenders.

It’s coming in a hot week

The beginning week is of great interest for PAOK. And competitive with the following two derbies with AEK in OAKA and then with Olympiakos in Toumba. The red-white can change the dates in case of a victory of Dikefalos. What is certain, however, is that criticism of the second quarterfinals of the cup, especially after the 0-0 in Thessaloniki, is great and the result in OAKA will show how the continuation will go for PAOK. Either way, these two derbies can dictate the year for Lutsescu’s team.

On the other hand, there are many open points in the last part of the transfers. With Filipe Soares’ case very advanced and the Portuguese young midfielder expected in Greece in the next few hours, interest is focused on acquiring an extreme. Jose Boto, who pulls the strings on transfers, has chosen his favorite and according to reports his characteristics will not differ much from those of the players who have already cast him.