If someone wrote this text about a month ago, one could easily talk about a historic season for Lamia, maybe even a change of level for the Fthiotida club. However, 30 days and six consecutive defeats later, everything is different.

Lamia started the season impressively with Michalis Grigoriou in the dugout, playing good football, and having found a way of getting positive results. It all pointed to the club seemingly heading for preserving their top flight status comfortably. At the same time, the club’s presence in the semi-finals of the Greek Cup have raised hopes for a historic success.

But February was … catastrophic for the team. One defeat followed another and Lamia reach the final game of the regular season second from bottom in the standings, five points behind Atromitos, who currently occupy the automatic safety spot.

The consequence of all this was Gregoriou’s departure, in a move made by the administration to try and shake things up and help the club return to winning ways and back on the right path.

Gianluca Festa, following a double stint at Apollon Smyrnis this season, is preparing for his debut on the Lamia team bench, and everyone is hoping that he can find a way to change the club’s fortunes.

The January transfer moves, with the exception of Lass Bangoura – who came in on loan from Rayo Vallecano and has taken a starting berth and has scored one goal – have not paid off. Vellios, Simon, Tai and Ninua have not managed to earn a place in the team.

Lamia reliy heavily on Bachana Arabuli and Giorgos Manousos in attack, with both players having scored four goals each, while the team’s other influential players are Tyronne, Romanic, Adejo, Provydakis and Saranov.

For the match against PAOK, Festa is without suspended duo Tzandaris and Gentsoglou, with the Lamia squad including the following players:

Garaveli, Saranov, Provydakis, Saramantas, Adejo, Tzanetopoulos, Martinez, Vyntra, Ninua, Loukas, Mazoulouxi, Nunez, Tyronne, Bejarano, Eleftheriadis, Manousos, Karamanos, Bangoura, Velios, Tsoukalos.