Olympiacos coach Jose Luis Mendilibar included Gustavo Puerta in his squad for the Stoiximan Super League match against Volos, a decision that once again shows the Spanish coach is ready to use a player as soon as he considers them fit, even a recent signing.
According to a report by Vasilis Konstantopoulos on The Football Show by Stoiximan, produced by protothema.gr, Mendilibar's approach is to give immediate playing time to players who are in good physical condition, regardless of how recently they joined the club.
The report also said Olympiacos have made a strong start to the season, with the team showing a positive performance in its opening matches while Mendilibar continues to work on shaping his new-look squad.
Likely Olympiacos Lineup Against Volos
The probable Olympiacos starting eleven against Volos, per the report, is: Ortega, Saliakas, Tiknizian, Pirola, Retsos, Sipioni, Ese, Tsikinho, Zota, Zelson or Roca, and El Kaabi.
Olympiacos, based in Piraeus, are one of the most decorated clubs in Greek football. Volos, their upcoming opponents, also compete in the Stoiximan Super League, the top tier of the Greek game.
Tsikinho's Form Under Scrutiny
Konstantopoulos also addressed the situation of Tsikinho, the Portuguese midfielder known in Greece by that nickname, saying he had been one of the key parts of Mendilibar's plans last season but has not yet found the same rhythm this season.
He said Tsikinho had been pivotal to Mendilibar's plan but now appears to have fallen behind, describing his start to the season as mediocre. He added that there is still belief the player will recover his form.
Mendilibar's Squad Rebuild
Mendilibar, a Basque coach, has been working through the early rounds of the season to establish his squad, according to the report. The group includes defender Panagiotis Retsos and Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi, who scored twice for Olympiacos in the 2024 UEFA Europa Conference League final, the club's first European trophy.
The report gave no date for the match against Volos and did not confirm whether Puerta would start.
