Ajax 1–0 Olympiacos: Edvardsen wins it late
First defeat of pre-season. Ajax 1–0 Olympiacos on Saturday, and Oliver Edvardsen scored the winner late in the match (4) (5). Your side was competitive but the Dutch hosts found the breakthrough when it mattered. Not the result you want with the season approaching, but friendlies are about fitness, and a few new faces caught the eye (5).
Popovic was your standout performer
The new arrivals got their first real assessment against Ajax, and one name stood out: Popovic. Gazzetta called him the MVP among the new signings (5). The report highlighted promising signs from the fresh faces, though the evaluation was measured, one friendly does not make a season.
Smajlovic: "An honour, I'll be at 100% in a week"
Smajlovic spoke after the final whistle and did not hide what the club means to him. "It is an honour to play for Olympiacos," he said. He added that he will be fully fit within a week (3). That timeline matters, your competitive fixtures are around the corner.
Olympiacos eye Kotarski as Tzolakis replacement
Konstantinos Tzolakis is heading to Hull, and Olympiacos need a new goalkeeper. Dominik Kotarski is the name being looked at (1). The PAOK keeper has drawn interest from Copenhagen as well, so this could become a race. Mendilibar wants the position sorted quickly.
Fan reactions
The mood after the Ajax loss was calm, most fans treated it as exactly what it was, a pre-season workout. The late winner stung a little, but the focus in the thread was on fitness and the new signings settling in, not the scoreline. See the full discussion on r/soccer.
