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Athens derby adds spice to new Greek season [Thu Aug 25th, 2005]
Athens (Reuters) - If the Greek football authorities wanted to capture the public imagination with an explosive start to the season, they could not have scripted the weekend's opening fixtures better.
The highlight is Sunday's derby between league and cup double winners Olympiakos Piraeus and runners-up Panathinaikos at the Olympic Stadium in front of a likely sell-out crowd of around 65,000.
"It is a bit of a shame it's so early in the season, because it is my first game in the championship," said Olympiakos coach Trond Sollied, who was appointed last month.
"But on the other hand, with Panathinaikos going through to the UEFA Champions League this week and with us being there, it will be an exciting start to the season."
More feeling is added by the return of Olympiakos forward Michalis Konstantinou to face his former team-mates.
The Cypriot striker spent four years at Panathinaikos before making a controversial move across Athens during the close-season.
Another new face at Olympiakos, champions in eight of the last nine seasons, is international defender Michalis Kapsis, while midfielder Yaya Toure and Spanish striker Dani have also come in to bolster the squad.
Panathinaikos have brought in Brazilian international Flavio Conceicao and Igor Biscan, who just a few months ago was celebrating a Champions League victory with Liverpool.
Olympiakos and Panathinaikos will again be the teams to beat, although AEK Athens, who surprised everyone last season by staying in contention until the final game, remain lively outsiders.
PAOK Salonika, bolstered by the return of national captain Theodoros Zagorakis, may also cause some surprises.
PAOK's campaign begins on Saturday away to northern club Xanthi, who have qualified for the UEFA Cup and have added former Middlesborough midfielder Emerson to their squad.
AEK wait until Monday to get into action when they play away at Atromitos, who owe their place in the top flight to a summer merger with Halkidona.
The other new arrivals from the second division are Larissa, the only team outside Athens or Thessaloniki ever to win the championship, Levadiakos and Akratitos.
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