PAOK focused on finishing Olympiacos feat

A month after Sérgio Conceição's impressive strike gave PAOK FC a 1-0 advantage over visitors Olympiacos CFP in the Greek Cup quarter-finals, the Salonika outfit hope to build on that result this evening and eliminate last season's domestic double-winners from the competition.

Club revival
This campaign has constituted something of a revival for PAOK, with former player Theodoros Zagorakis commencing his reign as president by helping to put the club's finances back in order. With the situation improving behind the scenes, the team have likewise performed better on the pitch and have risen to second in the Greek Super League under coach Fernando Santos – a far cry from their disappointing ninth-place finish last term.

Experienced players
Much of the credit there goes to another former player, Zisis Vryzas. As technical director he oversaw the arrivals of defensive midfielder Pablo García and central defender Pablo Contreras last summer – both erstwhile team-mates from his RC Celta de Vigo days – and the duo quickly became indispensable members of the side. With Zlatan Muslimović and Ibrahima Bakayoko providing valuable goals when needed and Sérgio Conceição hitting top form after joining a year ago, PAOK now have a host of experienced players who sacrifice their egos for the team's needs.

'We've achieved nothing'
Despite the club's forward momentum, coach Santos is refusing to get carried away. "Compared with last season, we're doing better and we're satisfied so far," he said. "But we still have ups and downs in our performances. We have a long way to go before we can claim titles. So far we have achieved nothing. It wouldn't be wise to fall in to the trap of thinking we've made it. That would undermine the evolution of the team and the progress of each player. I understand the euphoria among the fans and the players, but that shouldn't hinder our desire to improve."

Olympiacos form
Nothing will stop the supporters starting to dream, though, and in the Greek Cup PAOK have a genuine chance of success. Ernesto Valverde's Olympiacos may profit from home support in this evening's second leg, but their form has been shaky of late after losses to AS Saint-Etienne in the UEFA Cup and a defeat and a draw in their last two league encounters. The Piraeus outfit's nine-point lead makes them supreme favourites to defend their championship crown, yet repeating their double feat will be another proposition altogether. Determined to finish the season with some silverware, PAOK intend to pose an immovable object in their path.