Rival Analysis: Larissa profile
PAOK host Larissa at the Toumba looking to secure a ticket to the Greek Cup quarter-finals. PAOKfc.gr’s Rival Analysis column puts the magnifying glass on tonight’s opponents, giving you the lowdown on everything you need to know about the Thessaly club ahead of the match.
This season sees Larissa competing in Super League 2. Last season’s poor run in the top flight led to the Thessaly team’s relegation. The administration decided to battle for the club’s immediate return to the elite of Greek football and build an team capable of doing just that. Unfortunately, so far, they have not managed to live up to expectations.
Larissa are in sixth place in the Northern Group with 13 points, counting three wins, four draws and one defeat in eight games, having scored just nine goals while conceding four.
That said, Larissa have pulled a surprise so far in the Greek Cup, knocking out an excellent PAS Giannina on penalties to set up this tie against PAOK.
A quick change of coach
In the summer, the head coach’s role was taken on by Kostas Frantzeskos. It was an ambitious project, but sadly it ended early after several internal disputes.
The management decided to bring an old acquaintance back to the dugout in Ilias Fintanis, who returned to coach the club.
An experienced squad
On paper, the team has a squad that should perhaps be at the top of Super League 2. A squad full of quality, talent, and youth, but also a lot of experience.
Young Greeks such as Souloukos, Gotzamanidis, Maidanos, and Grigoropoulos are complemented by some quality foreign imports such as Maksymenko, Colombino, Acuna, Tahar, Badibanga and Ogkboe. There are also some experienced heads in the likes of Theodoropoulos, Bertos, Papageorgiou, Nikolias, Giakos and Garoufalias.
Fintanis’s has options aplenty, but the aim for the team still is to find chemistry and improve the team’s competitive shape, which at the moment is not convincing enough to suggest that it can be in the running for immediatel promotion back to the Super League Interwetten.
A few players out for Toumba match
Larissa have recently welcomed back Colombino and Giakos from injury, but they are still without the injured Berto, Grigoropoulos, Papageorgiou and Maidanos.
Larissa’s squad for the game at PAOK includes the following players:
Theodoropoulos, Soulouko, Theologou, Iliadis, Maksymenko, Gotzamanidis, T.Papageorgiou, Omar, Tahar, Giakos, Colombino, Patralis, Garoufalias, Glynos, Kotsianoulis, Miltiadis, Ogkboe, Kousta, Mavrias, Tsoumanis, Acuna, Badibanga.
