Weekly Analysis

Martins saves Olympiacos at Kifisia and the warning is loud

Martins bailed them out at Kifisia, and that is the story of the week

Kifisia 2–3 Olympiacos, decided by Martins in the 90+5th minute (8). Your team won, made it five league wins in a row, and stayed first on 22 points from nine games with a goal difference of +11. It is also the first time in weeks that the result was not under control.

Kifisia released a statement afterwards saying the match, regardless of the result, would stay in their memory forever (8). Read that again. A newly promoted side, beaten at the death, felt they had earned something from a league leader. That is a warning, not a compliment.

Two goals conceded is the number that matters

Imanol Alguacil went back to Renti and took the two Kifisia goals apart, then asked for more focus before Rennes and PAOK (9). He is right to be annoyed. Olympiacos conceded two goals in a league game for the first time since the start of this run, and the clean sheet streak built through Panetolikos 0–2, Olympiacos 1–0 Sparta Prague and Olympiacos 5–0 Kalamata just stopped.

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The pattern is not defensive collapse. It is concentration. Olympiacos have won the last five in the league and five of the last six overall, with a 0–1 at Marseille in the Europa League the only blemish since mid-October. The margins are now narrow enough that a lapse costs a goal instead of nothing.

That matters more in Europe than at home. Wednesday at Stade Rennais is the sort of away night where you get one chance to be sloppy and it goes in.

Rubio's outburst points elsewhere

Olympiacos K23 lost 2–1 at AE Larisa in Super League 2, a seventh game without a win (7)(22)(23). Alvaro Rubio came out and said there is disrespect from the referees toward Olympiacos, pointing at a penalty and an offside goal (24). You can argue about the decisions. The bigger fact is that the second team has not won in two months.

Olympiacos Women, meanwhile, beat A.S. Trianton Ialysou 9–0 at Renti, four wins from four in the B' Ethniki for a goal difference of 35–0 (10)(11)(12). Tasos Flengas has that side scoring at a rate no opponent in that division has answered. Two teams in the same club moving in opposite directions is worth noting, even if the K23 group is a development project first.

What to watch

Rennes away on Wednesday, then PAOK at home on Sunday at 20:00. Alguacil named both as his focus points from the Kifisia game (9). If the defensive lapses from Saturday show up in Brittany, the league cushion will not help. If they are gone by Sunday night at Karaiskaki, the Kifisia scare will read as a useful one.

Sources

  • 7. olympiacos.org — Ήττα στη Λάρισα, είχε τις ευκαιρίες για κάτι καλύτερο
  • 8. sport24.gr — Κηφισιά: Το παιχνίδι με τον Ολυμπιακό, ανεξαρτήτως αποτελέσματος, θα μείνει για πάντα στη μνήμη μας
  • 9. sportime.gr — Ολυμπιακός: Τι ενόχλησε τον Ιμανόλ Αλγουαθίλ
  • 10. to10.gr — Ολυμπιακός – Α.Σ. Τριαντών Ιαλυσού 9-0: Ακόμη μία επιβλητική νίκη και 4×4
  • 11. sportime.gr — Ολυμπιακός: Σαρωτικό 9-0 και 4/4!
  • 12. sport24.gr — "4Χ4" για την ομάδα ποδοσφαίρου γυναικών του Ολυμπιακού με νέα άνετη νίκη στη Β' Εθνική
  • 22. sportime.gr — Ολυμπιακός Β: Ξέσπασε ο Άλβαρο Ρούμπιο
  • 23. newsbeast.gr — Super League 2: Επέστρεψε στις νίκες η ΑΕΛ, 2-1 τον Ολυμπιακό Β’
  • 24. tanea.gr — Ρούμπιο: «Υπάρχει ασέβεια από τους διαιτητές προς τον Ολυμπιακό» (vids)
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