Olympiacos near final hurdle

By Paris Ayiomamitis

It is a case of so close but yet so far for Olympiacos CFP in the UEFA Champions League. The Greek side have won all of their home matches, drawn once way and lost only one game, away against last year's finalists AS Monaco FC. Yet that has not been enough to book a place in the last 16.

Final destiny
A 1-0 win at home against RC Deportivo La Coruña on Matchday 5 left the Greek side at the top of Group A, but their dreams of a place in the knockout stages could turn to dust if they fail to pick up a point at Liverpool FC, 1-0 losers in Athens on Matchday 2.

Not enough
"It's very hard to believe that we have ten points and we're still not through," said Argentinian central defender Gabriel Schürrer. The club will be sent tumbling into the UEFA Cup if Liverpool win at Anfield and Monaco win in the night's other Group A game against Deportivo at the Riazor.

Away record
It is not the kind of grand finale that anyone at the club wanted, especially given Olympiacos's poor away record in Europe - they have never won a Champions League away game. "I never wanted our last game to be the decisive one and this will definitely raise stress levels," said coach Dusan Bajevic.

Kafes buoyant
However, with Bajevic having led Olympiacos out of the opening group stage of the tournament in a previous spell in charge in 1998/99, confidence is still high. Midfield player Pantelis Kafes, in the best spell of his career since joining from PAOK FC, was certainly in high spirits.

'That's football'
"We're not disappointed about not having qualified yet," he said. "That's football. When we found out who our opponents were in the group stage we knew how difficult it would be. But we've done our duty. There's one match to go and if we play like we have so far, we can get the result we want at Anfield."

Derby triumph
Spirits have been lifted further by a 1-0 win against Panathinaikos FC in the weekend's big Athens derby. Former World Player of the Year Rivaldo scored the only goal with a terrific 30-metre free-kick and he is only too aware of the importance of Wednesday's game.

'We can win'
"The match at Anfield will be very difficult as our opponents are desperate to win," said the Brazilian. "But Olympiacos are playing very well and we can win the match. It is very important that Olympiacos should advance to the next stage."

Defensive dominance
It has been defensive resilience rather than attacking brilliance that has underpinned Olympiacos's successes this season, as right-back Anastasios Pantos said: "Olympiacos are a great team and this year our defence has been the key, something which all the team has worked on."

Bragging rights
Olympiacos have conceded just two goals in qualification so far - both of them at Monaco - and the prospect of upstaging cross-town rivals Panathinaikos, whose hopes of reaching the last 16 diminished sharply after they were held by Rosenborg BK on Matchday 5, is another major incentive.

Fair chance
"We expected that we would do well and I don't see why we can't advance to the next round," said Pantos. "It would be unfair if we did not make it." Unfair, maybe, but as Kafes said: "That's football."