Rehhagel keeps the faith

Otto Rehhagel has named an almost unchanged squad for Greece's EURO 2004™ qualifying game against Ukraine in Kiev.

Konstantinidis injured
The absence of the injured Kostas Konstantinidis is the only change from the squad that lost out to Spain in Greece's first Group 6 game in Athens last month.

Surprising decision
Some commentators have been surprised by the coach's decision not to bring AS Monaco's in-form defensive midfield player Akis Zikos into the squad as well as the AEK Athens FC trio of central defender Michalis Kapsis, defensive midfield player Kostas Katsouranis and goalkeeper Dionyssis Hiotis, all of whom were in outstanding form against AS Roma and Real Madrid CF in the UEFA Champions League.

Panathinaikos players
Instead, the coach has kept faith in a group which includes no less than six Panathinaikos FC players, despite the club's disappointing start which has seen them slump to 13th place in the Alpha Katigoria. Panathinaikos only reached the second round of the UEFA Cup on Thursday after extra time against Bulgarian side PFC Litex Lovech.

Greece squad
Nikopolidis, Halkias, Fyssas, Kyrgiakos, Seitaridis, Patsatzoglou, Venetidis, Dellas, Dabizas, Bassinas, Karagounis, Giannakopoulos, Lakis, Zagorakis, Tsartas, Kafes, Georgiadis, Nikolaidis, Vryzas, Haristeas.