Panathinaikos pushing for success

With coach Ioannis Kyrastas's exit from the club rapidly followed by that of Portugal midfield player Paulo Sousa, Panathinaikos FC's bid for further progress in the UEFA Champions League looks to have hit something of a stumbling block.
 
Cast aside by former coach
Sousa was in eye-catching form as Panathinaikos topped a first group stage section containing teams from three of the four strongest divisions in Europe - Arsenal FC, FC Schalke 04 and RCD Mallorca. That was largely due to the influence of Kyrastas, who brought Sousa back into the fold, along with Croatian Goran Vlaovic, after they had been cast aside by the club's previous coach, Angelos Anastasiadis.
 
Three defeats too much
Despite Panathinaikos's superb first stage showing, where they topped Group C ahead of Arsenal, Kyrastas decided that three defeats in nine domestic matches had left the Athens club with no hope of achieving their chief aim this term - to end Olympiakos Piraeus FC's dominance of the Greek championship - and subsequently left.
 
Transfer market success
The new coach, Uruguayan Sergio Markarian, will have his work cut out to emulate his predecessor's success in the transfer market. The summer arrivals of Cypriot striker Michalis Konstantinou, Scandinavian midfield duo Joonas Kolkka and Jan Michaelsen, and Greek Under-21 defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos have helped turn the club into a genuine European force.
 
Perfect record
Another factor has been the decision to play the club's home games at the 16,000-capacity Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium rather than the significantly larger OAKA Spiros Louis stadium. Panathinaikos won all of their first-stage games in Athens, seemingly not missing the experience of injured captain Ioannis Goumas who spent the first three months of the season on the sidelines.
 
FIRST GROUP STAGE: Home form the key
 
Goals in each half from Nikos Liberopoulos and Giorgios Karagounis helped Panathinaikos to a 2-1 away third qualifying round win over SK Slavia Praha and left them on the verge of the Champions League first group stage. A penalty from Angelos Basinas - who had missed a spot-kick in the first leg in Prague - was enough to see off the Czechs in the return, and secure the Greek side a place in the competition proper.
 
Off to a flyer
They got off to a flyer in Germany, René Henriksen deflecting a Vlaovic shot in for the opening goal before Basinas put the seal on a 2-0 victory over Schalke. Mallorca were then defeated by the same score in Athens, Vlaovic and Konstantinou on target. Panathinaikos were in dreamland at the halfway stage as Karagounis fired them to a home victory over Arsenal, where they again kept a clean sheet.
 
Topped the group
The English side got revenge on Matchday Four with a 2-1 win in London before Panathinaikos took their points tally to 12, leaving them in an unassailable position at the top of the group, with another 2-0 win over Schalke, Emmanuel Olisadebe and Konstantinou finding the net. The victory rendered their final game, a 1-0 defeat in Mallorca, academic as Kyrastas and the club's fanatical support looked forward to the last 16.
 
SECOND GROUP STAGE: Down to earth in Madrid
 
After negotiating the first stage with a perfect home record, Panathinaikos would have expected to reap another three points against FC Porto in their opening game. Despite dominating, they found their Group C rivals just too resilient, particularly during a first-half onslaught and the match finished goalless.
 
Brushed aside
Panathinaikos were outplayed for the first time in their campaign during their next outing at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium as Real Madrid CF brushed them aside 3-0 to consolidate their position as group and tournament favourites.
 
REMAINING GAMES: Crucial Sparta meetings
 
With Madrid looking certain to claim top spot, Panathinaikos are battling it out with Porto and AC Sparta Praha for second. Four points from their forthcoming double header with the Czech Republic side will be Markarian's aim before the trip to Portugal, where defeat must be avoided. Panathinaikos will hope Madrid maintain their perfect record prior to their meeting in March, where the Spaniards could be relaxing ahead of the quarter-finals.

THE COACH: Sergio Markarian
 
Although by no means a household name across Europe, Markarian has garnered something of a reputation for himself in Greece after guiding unfashionable Ionikos to the UEFA Cup during his only previous spell in charge in the country.
 
International success
Upon his appointment, the 57-year-old said he believed his spell in Nikea had got him the job. "I'm here only because I coached Ionikos and they know me from that time," he said, perhaps playing down his success in steering Paraguay to the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals.
 
Sceptical supporters
He was rewarded for that feat with the sack, and that somewhat mysterious decision coupled with doubts about his ability to handle the demands of top-class players on a daily basis have led to scepticism among ardent Panathinaikos supporters.
 
'I believe in this club'
Nevertheless, Markarian is confident of writing his own successful chapter in Panathinaikos history. "There is nothing to stop us from succeeding," he said. "I believe in the club, the players and our work ahead. We are going to work 24 hours a day and I will give all my energy to make this club succeed."
 
THE PLAYER: Michalis Konstantinou 
 
Michalis Konstantinou's summer transfer from Iraklis FC not only created a Greek transfer record but presented the Panathinaikos faithful with a new striking hero.
 
Devastating combination
Tall and tremendously powerful, the 23-year-old Cypriot forward has proved a perfect foil for Olisadebe, the two forming a devastating combination in the Champions League this season.
 
Bound for greatness
Konstantinou seemed bound for greatness after scoring 17 goals in 25 games for Cypriot side Enosis Neon Paralimni FC in the 1996/97 season. He was picked up by Iraklis, scoring an impressive 60 goals in 119 league games for the Thessalonika outfit, before Kyrastas signed the lifelong Panathinaikos supporter earlier this year.
 
Financial details
Although his transfer was a complicated one - the exact financial details have not been divulged - there has been nothing troublesome about his assimilation into the Athens club's playing pattern. 
 
DOMESTIC FORM: Title just a dream?
 
With AEK Athens enjoying their best start to a season in years, and Olympiakos continuing to grind out results to stay in second spot, Panathinaikos are already facing up to the prospect of another season of domestic discomfort. Whether or not they will overhaul the current leaders and lift their first league title since 1996 will depend greatly on the expertise of Markarian.