AEK Athens vs PAOK Saloniki Match Preview
While two surprise sides represent one semifinal, two of Greek football’s biggest clubs make up the other. AEK and PAOK commence battle on Wednesday evening at the Olympic Stadium in Athens in what promises to be a tight and tense two-legged series.
AEK have had a poor campaign by their high standards and recently underwent a period of disastrous form that saw them begin to slip out of the playoff hunt. Sunday’s fine 3-2 win at Ergotelis however seems to have raised the confidence of the club in what Manolo Jimenez described as the best performance in his reign with AEK.
Jimenez will welcome back a host of first-team regulars who were rested against Ergotelis and the likes of Traianos Dellas, Ignacio Scocco, Grigoris Makos, and Nikos Lymberopoulos are all set to start for AEK. Kostas Manolas has been ruled out due to suspension, while Roger Guerreiro who was so impressive at the weekend could also be handed a starting spot.
PAOK meanwhile must pick themselves back up after a terrible week. Makis Chavos’ side began the week with a second leg Round of 32 Europa League clash against CSKA Moscow in Russia. Down 1-0 from a first leg defeat, PAOK produced their best performance of the season on a night where it seemed they could turn the tide and shockingly advance to the Round of 16. The club took a 1-0 lead in the second half only to give up a late penalty to go out of the competition 2-1 on aggregate. Then against Kavala at the weekend, the PAOK appeared to have the effects of a European hangover with one of their worst displays of the campaign going down meekly to a rampant Kavala 2-0.
In a long campaign that began back with Champions’ League qualifiers in July, which has seen three coaching changes and also financial difficulties plague the team, the question is whether PAOK have the endurance to overcome AEK. Their task will be made harder on Wednesday as their influential talisman Vierinha has been ruled out due to injury. Other injury worries include Kostas Chalkias, Victor Vitolo, and Giorgos Fotakis all who look set to miss out on the crucial first leg.
AEK have won the competition 13 times, their last triumph coming back in 2002. Their journey to the final four has included victories over Panthrakikos, Larisa, and Panathinaikos in the quarterfinals where a 50-yard free-kick by loan-signing Michel gave the team a last-gasp progression as they went through 4-3 on aggregate.
PAOK have won the Greek Cup themselves on four occasions, the last time being back in 2003. They defeated Olympiakos 2-1 on aggregate in the quarterfinals and earlier had disposed of PAS Giannina and Eordaikos.