Răzvan Lucescu and his players know that Sunday’s match kicks off a period of tough encounters and are prepping to meet expectations.

Apollon Smyrni’s visit marks the first –therefore the most important- of these encounters. The “Light Brigade” have changed a lot compared to the first round of fixtures, gearing up to fight for survival in the Super League Souroti.

With Giorgos Paraschos at the helm and various newcomers of considerable experience, such as former “black-and-whites” Tsoukalas and Zisopoulos, Apollon Smyrni want to cover for lost ground and remain in the top-flight league, aiming to start with a positive result in undefeated Toumba.

The “Double-Headed Eagle” are determined to extend their eight-game winning streak and remain in contention for the top spot of the standings. Lucescu has all his players at his disposal (no suspensions or injuries) and is presented with the… headache of choosing his line-up.

In Saturday’s training, the Romanian coach worked on tactics and set pieces. After the session, he announced his 18-player list for the game:

Rey, Paschalakis, Matos , Malezas, Crespo, Varela, Maurício, Shakhov, Cimirot, Pelkas , Biseswar, El Kaddouri, Vieirinha , Campos, Mak, Limnios, Koulouris, Prijović.