Greek Football Season 2024/25

[seso]

If OFI wins the Cup, the 5-to-8 playoff is completely pointless, right? They should've added a playoff between the 4th place of the Championship playoff and the winner of this one, the current format is ridiculous in this regard. I often compare Greek football to that of South America, but I think not even there they would do this (rather, it's usually the case that too many playoffs are staged and spots allocated in these leagues).

There is very little chance that a club outside the big-4 will win the Cup, so there is not much point discussing about that case.

[Firnen]

If OFI wins the Cup, the 5-to-8 playoff is completely pointless, right? They should've added a playoff between the 4th place of the Championship playoff and the winner of this one, the current format is ridiculous in this regard. I often compare Greek football to that of South America, but I think not even there they would do this (rather, it's usually the case that too many playoffs are staged and spots allocated in these leagues).

The real reason the format changed is that Olympiacos and PAOK believed that Aris is a compromised team (aka they would let AEK win while giving it all to fight against them), and given that the 6th team was also compromised the last 2 seasons (the dirtiest teams of the league, Lamia and Volos), they pushed for this change.

Aris meanwhile distanced themselves from AEK after all this season - but for PAOK the point still stands, a Top 6 playoffs is always more difficult for PAOK because Aris has extra motive against them (city derby).

Also, the last time a small team won the Cup is 18 years ago, so don't hold your breath it will happen. It almost never happens.

[Firnen]

Championship Play-Offs MD4

AEK - Olympiacos 0-2
PAOK - Panathinaikos 2-1

Standings:

Olympiacos........3-0-1..(21-6-3).....69
Panathinaikos.....2-0-2..(16-8-6).....56
PAOK...............3-0-1..(17-4-9).....55
AEK.................0-0-4..(16-5-9).....53

Olympiacos, crowned champions 2 weeks ago, showed no mercy to AEK, beat them for the 4th time in the league this season (on top of knocking them out of the Cup with a 6-0 win at home) and sent them down to 4th with 0 points in the play-offs after 4 matches. The red-and-whites didn't even particularly try hard in this match, with a rotated starting 11 and a sloppy defense, but GK Tzolakis saved everything AEK sent his way while Olympiacos was effective in the few chances they created, scoring 2 out of 3 and sinking their opponent even more, while cruising towards the end of the season.

The battle for 2nd (and 3rd) rages on, with PAOK bouncing back from their defeat in Athens and beating Panathinaikos at home. The greens scored very early but were pretty toothless for the rest of the game, and PAOK turned the match around with a screamer from CB Michailidis and the winning goal by their top scorer, CM Mady Camara - once again, everyone scores from PAOK except the actual CFs. Panathinaikos hasn't won away in 2025 yet, in any competition! They will have more shot, against AEK away next Sunday.

Europe Play-Offs MD4

Atromitos - Aris 1-1
OFI - Asteras Tripolis 0-2

Standings:

Aris.................3-1-0..(14-7-9).....31
------------------------------------------------
Asteras Tripolis...3-0-1..(13-5-12)....27
Atromitos..........1-1-2..(11-6-13)...22
OFI..................0-0-4..(10-6-14)...18


Aris is in complete control of the situarion, they just need either a draw against Asteras or to simply beat OFI, who are already thinking of the Cup Final. Asteras is the only team mathematically within reach, Atromitos was knocked out yesterday.

Relegation Play-Outs MD4

Panserraikos - Panaitolikos 1-1
Lamia - Volos 1-3
Kallithea - Levadiakos 0-3

Standings:

Panaitolikos........1-2-1..(10-8-12)....38
Levadiakos.........3-0-1..(9-10-11)....37
Panserraikos.......1-2-1..(9-6-15).....33
Volos................2-2-0..(8-6-16).....30
------------------------------------------------
Kallithea...........1-1-2..(5-10-15)....25
Lamia...............0-1-3..(3-7-20).....16

The best team of the play-outs, Levadiakos, appears to be the one determining who will be relegated for now: after selling their match to Volos, they played to their full capability against Kallithea and comfortably beat them away. Volos has a huge advantage over Kallithea when it comes to alliances and fixing matches, and the situation is now critical for Kallithea. Lamia will be mathemetically relegated tomorrow.

Colors (assuming Olympiacos wins the Cup against OFI):

Golden - Champion and CLQ2 (probably CL LS due to CLTH rebalancing)
Orange - CL NCQ2
Green - EL Q3
Blue - ECL Q2
Red - Relegation

[TommyChat]

@seso Asteras Tripolis B officially will finish above AEK B, who finished last on their group. The last MD will determine if the the 2 B teams will occupy the bottom 2 spots.

[seso]

@seso Asteras Tripolis B officially will finish above AEK B, who finished last on their group. The last MD will determine if the the 2 B teams will occupy the bottom 2 spots.

AEK B, Pana B and Oly B have all been relegated. It either means that the three big clubs did not give enough attention to these teams, or that the level of the second division clubs is high...

[Firnen]

Relegation Play-Outs MD5

Levadiakos - Lamia 0-0
Panaitolikos - Kallithea 0-1
Volos - Panserraikos 3-0

Standings:

Levadiakos.........3-1-1..(9-11-11)....38
Panaitolikos........1-2-2..(10-8-13)....38
Volos................3-2-0..(9-6-16).....33
Panserraikos.......1-2-2..(9-6-16).....33
------------------------------------------------
Kallithea...........2-1-2..(6-10-15)....28
Lamia...............0-2-3..(3-8-20).....17

Kallithea beat Panaitolikos away and remained alive, but Volos isn't toying around, they easily beat Panserraikos 3-0 and retain their 5 points gap. Panserraikos is suddenly in trouble because they face Volos again next, Kallithea will have the chance to approach within a win one of them.

Lamia is mathematically relegated after 8 years in the Super League.

[seso]

AEK 1-2 Panathinaikos
Olympiakos 4-2 PAOK

Pana qualified for CL-Q2nc.

[Firnen]

Championship Play-Offs MD5

Olympiacos - PAOK 4-2
AEK - Panathinaikos 1-2

Standings:

Olympiacos........4-0-1..(22-6-3).....72
Panathinaikos.....3-0-2..(17-8-6).....59
PAOK...............3-0-2..(17-4-10)....55
AEK.................0-0-5..(16-5-10)....53

Olympiacos celebrated their 48th league title by adding PAOK to the list of opponents which have left Georgios Karaiskakis with 4 goals conceded. PAOK shocked them early when Zivkovic opened the gift given to him by the red-and-white's 3rd GK (who did his debut) in the 40th second, but PAOK GK Kotarski returned it, and Olympiacos turned around the match quickly, only for PAOK to immediately equalize with Zivkovic scoring a 2nd goal. In the 2nd half both teams tried to win, Olympiacos improved when some of the reserves were subbed out, and won the match 4-2.

This means PAOK's run for 2nd is over, because Panathinaikos added the last nail (until the next) in AEK's coffin and secured 2nd place and their presence in the CL 2nd Qualifying Round. The greens got their first away win in 2025 (!) against a physically and mentally collapsing AEK and saved what could be saved from their season. AEK has now 5/5 losses in the play-offs, 0-1-6 in the last 7 league matches, and it is obvious that the 6-0 to Olympiacos in the Cup (3 days before this 7 game winless streak in the league started) ended them. PAOK-AEK in the last matchday will determine who gets 3rd (the EL ticket unless OFI wins the Cup), but nobody believes AEK can win this match.

Europe Play-Offs MD5

Asteras Tripolis - Atromitos 1-4
OFI - Aris 1-1

Standings:

Aris.................3-2-0..(14-8-9).....32
------------------------------------------------
Asteras Tripolis...3-0-2..(13-5-13)....27
Atromitos..........2-1-2..(12-6-13)...25
OFI..................0-1-4..(10-7-14)...19


Aris secured 5th without even needing to win, since Asteras failed to even challenge him. The scorline at HT in Tripoli was 0-4, and this is where the battle for 5th ends.

Relegation Play-Outs MD6

Panserraikos - Volos 3-0
Kallithea - Panaitolikos 0-0
Lamia - Levadiakos 2-3

Standings:

Levadiakos........4-1-1..(10-11-11)....41
Panaitolikos........1-3-2..(10-9-13)....39
Panserraikos.......2-2-2..(10-6-16)....36
Volos................3-2-1..(9-6-17).....33
------------------------------------------------
Kallithea...........2-2-2..(6-11-15)....29
Lamia...............0-2-4..(3-8-21).....17

Panserraikos answered the 3-0 win of Volos from last week with their own 3-0, the two teams had arranged the exchange of points and Volos had even declared their banned-from-yellow cards players to serve in this match. Kallithea failed to beat Panaitolikos for the 2nd time, and their fate is out of their hands - Volos just needs to beat the 3 unmotivated teams (Levadiakos, Panaitolikos and Lamia) regardless of their direct class against Kallithea.

Colors (assuming Olympiacos wins the Cup against OFI):

Golden - Champion and CLQ2 (probably CL LS due to CLTH rebalancing)
Orange - CL NCQ2
Green - EL Q3
Blue - ECL Q2
Red - Relegation

The 2nd division ended yesterday, with Kifisia winning promotion in the South Group, returning to the Super League immediately after their relegation, while Larisa wins promotion in the North Group, returning to the Super League after the 2020-21 season.

[seso]

I like the new Cup format starting in 2025-26!
https://www.sport24.gr/football/kipello ... rganoseon/

[amenina]

I like the new Cup format starting in 2025-26!
https://www.sport24.gr/football/kipello ... rganoseon/

The cups of Romania and Turkey have also implemented some sort of Swiss-style group/league phase from 2024/25 season.

[thanos_sk]

I like the new Cup format starting in 2025-26!
https://www.sport24.gr/football/kipello ... rganoseon/

What exactly do you like? Amateur clubs are being kicked out for no reason whatosever!

In every normal country in Europe Cups are straight knockout competitions, in Greece everything serves the Big 4. More than 50 clubs tried hard to win their local EPS Cups, and now we are all binned off so Gagatsis can play around. Absolutely ridiculous.

[NederPAOKtzis]

I am with @thanos_sk. First bad idea/action of Gagatsis in my opinion.

[seso]

@thanos_sk @NederPAOKtzis There was very little interest in the Cup in the previous format with all the amateur clubs taking part. I believe it will be more competitive in this way.

[mspm89]

Yep. While top leagues like Spain or England are gravitating towards making their domestic Cups as straight KO as possible, small leagues are trying to copy what? Their Latin American counterparts? Even the freaking USA, which has a closed top division, respects this tradition in their aptly named US Open Cup.

At least Greece and Co. should do like Scotland and brand it a League Cup, if they want their round robins so much.

[thanos_sk]

@thanos_sk @NederPAOKtzis There was very little interest in the Cup in the previous format with all the amateur clubs taking part. I believe it will be more competitive in this way.

I am sorry but this is ridiculous. Let's start with the obvious: Cup competitions should offer the chance to lower clubs to take on the big boys. It's about promoting the game and it should be about spreading some revenue.

You say "there was very little interest in the Cup with all the amateur clubs taking part".That doesn't make any sense. How exactly are you backing this up? The amateur clubs were playing each other in the first rounds and in the Round 4 only three clubs had remained, Ethnikos, Apollon Krias Vrysis, Nea Ionia and Zakynthos. All of them had great attendances in their games, and only Zakynthos made it to the next round.
I don't understand how you can say that "there was very little interest", there is nothing to justify this, even the earlier rounds had some very good attendances, most clubs took it seriously and there is plenty of evidence on YouTube of good crowds.

Moreover, in the current season hundreds of clubs took part in the local EPS Cups knowing that winning them would give them a chance to play in the next year's Cup. Now they find out that their efforts were in vain, that is just ridiculous and there is no way to justify it.

Finally, I am sorry but I can't comprehend how you say that you like this format. Having read hundreds of your posts, it seems that you enjoy watching football from smaller countries, therefore I don't understand how you can like a format that makes a competition that already favored the big clubs even worse. Our clubs deserve to be noticed, not to be binned off so Gagatsis can negotiate a better TV contract.