AEK looks to avoid catastrophe in Cyprus

A day after their Super League counterparts, Olympiacos, fell to Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus, AEK travels to the island’s capital to lock horns with AC Omonia. Nicosia’s Neo GSP Stadium is the venue for this one, and the ‘Enosis’ will hope the atmosphere doesn’t get too rowdy.

Hit with a long list of injuries, new AEK manager Giorgos Donis has called up several replacements in his 18-man squad. Facing his first match at the AEK reigns, the experienced Donis will look for a favourable result tonight in Cyprus.

New signings Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Angelos Basinas will sit this one out, as well Edinho (toothache), Jurgen Macho, Gustavo Maduca , Geraldo Alves. New club captain Rivaldo will be the center of the AEK attack but the main finisher could be the club’s leading scorer from last year, Ismael Blanco. Ignacio Scocco, a new signing from Mexico, will pair up with Blanco but expect most of AEK’s attack to come down the flanks. The ever-inspirational Rivaldo will have to lead the AEK cause, but Pantelis Kafes and Panagiotis Lagos will also have work to do. Defensively, new signing Juanfran will provide cover as well as far down the flank. Nikos Georgeas, Daniel Majstorovic, and Edson Ramos will man the back line for an injury-riddled AEK. In goal, it seems Sebastian Saja and Giannis Armabatzis will battle to get the start, with Austrian international Jurgen Macho battling an injury ahead of the Super League season.

For the home side, the chance of grabbing the tie by its horns is there. With home advantage tonight in Nicosia, it will be up to Omonia to make the best of the opportunity ahead of the return in Athens. Taking inspiration from their Cypriot rivals Anorthosis, the club with a similar logo to Greek giants Panathinaikos could prove to be stiff test for the ‘Dikefale’.

In recent weeks, a feeling of national pride has hit the small Mediterranean island. With the European draws confirmed Greek clubs would be facing Cyprus’ best, Cypriot alike are hungry for European wins - especially over Greek opposition. It was reported that several nationalist groups attending tonight’s game would be chanting anti-Greek slogans, an event that seems unimaginable when you consider the long ties between mainland Greece and the divided island.

AEK Athens (Giorgos Donis): Saja, Arambatzis, Edson Ramos Silva, Georgeas, Juanfran, Majstorovic, Alexopoulos, Rikka, Hetemaj, Kafes, Rivaldo, Pliatsikas, Lagos, Burns, Scocco, Pavlis, Zorbas, Blanco.