On Saturday afternoon (March 26, 7:00 p.m. common start time for all games) the curtain falls on the regular season in the Women’s Volley League and nervousness increases as several problems are pending.

Most notably, first in the score giving the absolute advantage in the playoffs, with Panathinaikos holding a three-point lead over Olympiakos (which is superior in the event of a tie), but the greens are being tested at PAOK HQ (it definitely is 3rd) and the Red-Whites welcome AEK (wants win to stay in 4th place).

Starting with the Mikra derby, PAOK receives PAO without Marco Feolio having the slightest problem, with the Italian coach noting: “The regular season ends with a very important game that will help us see where we are. We may not have an interest in scoring, but we are preparing for the playoffs and I want my team to reach their full potential. Us is no matter what the opponent wants, but our team and I believe that we are ready for such an important game.”

For his part, Panathinaikos coach Apostolos Oikonomou stressed: “In the last game we’re playing against a very good team that has goals similar to ours and is very strong on the net. We’re treating this particular game as another “finale.” We respect the opponent and we know that the last few weeks have been in good shape and that they come from a very good win against Mars. For my part, I believe that we have prepared properly and will fight with all our might for the winning result that will take us to 1st place in the regular season of the championship.

With Rentis closing, it’s logical for the Reds and Whites to keep their ears peeled for what’s happening in Mikra as they can earn absolute home field advantage in the playoffs in the regular-season finals.

Olympic coach Carlo Paris explained: “Last game of regular duration and very important for the final result. We know AEK are a good team, so we have to play an aggressive game like the last ones we’ve played. Our team has to win all the time and we want that against AEK”.

As for AEK, it can finish from 4th (if it wins by three points) to 6th (if it loses by any score and Aris and Thetis win) depending on its own result.

“It’s a very important game and a strong derby that will judge the placement of both teams. And Olympiacos want it and we want it very much. We know the difficulties we have to overcome to reach our goal but we see it also as a test for the future, because everything is judged in the playoffs.” said Union coach Costas Arseniadis.

As we mentioned above, the results of the game of AEK, Aris (it’s -1 and in 5th place) and Thetida Voulas (it’s -2 and in 6th place) are directly interested, while both teams are playing games with Having opponents who are involved in the playoffs as Aris plays in the center of second bottom Elysiakos and Thetis welcomes the 12th Purple.

11th Pannaxiakos welcomes AO Markopoulou Revoil (securing his stay from last week) and a win will definitely see them up to 11th (meaning home advantage in the playoffs) while the Amazons wait to find out who the Elysiakos are , Purple faces Lamia in the playoffs, who in turn is waiting to see if she will face PAO or Olympiakos in the first round of the playoffs.

Finally, in Evosmos, the local Aiantas bids farewell to the Volley League with the home game against AO Thira, which also has no goal motivation as it is definitely 7th place.

Detailed program of the 26th race

Saturday March 26, 2022

«M. Merkouri » Renti 19.00: Olympiakos SFP – AEK
Referee: Fraggakis, Michailoglou Observer: Schneider Coaches: Tsitsikas, Samothrace Secretariat: Kapourani.

DAC Evosmou 19.00: APS Aia – AO Thira
Referee: Dimitriou, Papadopoulos Observer: Tsopanoglou Coaches: Kotsikari, Terzis Secretariat: Ioannidou.

Mikra 19.00: PAOK – Panathinaikos AO
Referee: Em. Georgiadis, Mavridis Observer: Delikostidis Coaches: Stavridis, Papadopoulou Secretariat: Paspala.

“A. Fotsis »Ilisia 19.00: Ilysiakos AO – AS Aris
Referee: Moula L., Mavros Observers: Tsimbinos Coaches: Kotsias, Stavrati Secretariat: Pesinoglou.

DDR Naxos 19.00: Pannaxiakos AON – AO Markopoulou Revoil
Referee: Prentzas, Velonis Observers: Perros Coaches: Theodosiou, Papagiannopoulos Secretariat: Ioannou M..

«O. Gennimatas »Voula 19.00: ASP Thetis – AOF Porphyras
Referee: Gerothodoros, Metaxa Observer: Georgopoulos Coaches: Pavlakis, Mouzakiti Secretariat: Oikonomou D..

«St. Kalaitzis » N. Erythrea 19.00: AON Amazones – AO Lamias 2013
Referee: Voudouris, Malfas Observers: Kapandais Coaches: Rigopoulos, Stathopoulou Secretariat: Talarou.