Panathinaikos feel the pressure

Olympiacos lead again
Olympiacos lead their great rivals by two points at the top of the Alpha Ethniki - and a home win would further increase the gap between the champions of the last seven years and Panathinaikos, at what is a worryingly early stage of the season for Itzhak Shum's side.

'More at stake'
"Although every victory is worth just three points, my players are extremely motivated for this game," the Panathinaikos coach said. "There is something more at stake." Like pride. The last of Panathinaikos's 18 league titles came in 1995/96, and it still hurts that their challenge last season was ended by the narrowest of margins. After the two clubs tied on 70 points, Olympiacos won the league by virtue of their better head-to-head results, with a 3-0 derby win in the penultimate game of the campaign proving crucial.

More impressive form
This season Olympiacos have been the more impressive team, especially in Europe where Panathinaikos have taken just one point from four UEFA Champions League group matches. By contrast, Olympiacos are handily placed to finish third in their section and advance to the UEFA Cup.

Pressure mounting
The pressure is mounting for Pana's Israeli coach Shum, who only took over in the summer, and defeat at the weekend could make his position an uncomfortable one. His cause is not helped by the fact that Olympiacos have no injury problems. Their coach Oleg Protasov is expected to field the team that defeated Galatasaray SK 3-0 in their last Champions League outing, with in-form Giovanni and Nery Alberto Castillo at the attacking tip of a 4-4-2 formation.

Fyssas absence
The only certainty for the visitors, who are likely to pack the midfield with something approaching a 3-6-1 system, is that Greek international Panagiotis Fyssas will not play. Although fit, Fyssas has been omitted from Shum's plans after the midfielder announced last week that he had agreed to join Portuguese side SL Benfica in January.

Prolific Papadopoulos
Instead, Panathinaikos will pin their hopes on striker Dimitrios Papadopoulos, who has shot to the top of the Greek scoring charts with seven goals in ten games. His form has also forced him into national coach Otto Rehhagel's thinking ahead of UEFA EURO 2004™. Quite a change from 12 months ago when he was on the bench at English first division club Burnley FC.