Garcia ready for Sofia, but the 1–1 stings
Panathinaikos 1–1 CSKA 1948 in the first leg. Not what you wanted at home. The tie is wide open ahead of the return in Sofia, and Livai Garcia has made it clear he is ready for it (2). His availability is a lift, the Spartak Moscow loanee was registered in time and gives Nistrup a genuine threat going forward.
Scouting mission comes up empty
Stefanos Kotsolis traveled to watch Partizan wonderkid Ognjen Ugresic, but the player was not in the squad. Partizan coach Sasa Ilic explained: "Ugresic has minor groin discomfort, that's why he wasn't available today" (1). Partizan beat Tobol 3–0 without him. Panathinaikos left with nothing to evaluate.
What it means for the second leg
Garcia and new arrival Desers are both on the UEFA squad list. That gives Nistrup attacking options he did not have in the first leg. The defensive injuries, Ingason out with a cruciate rupture, Kalabria recovering from a meniscus injury, remain the real worry. You go to Sofia needing a result, and the backline is thin.
