Panathinaikos F.C. (Greek: Π.Α.Ε. Παναθηναϊκός), also known as P.A.O. (Π.Α.Ο.), is a Greek professional football club based in Athens, Greece. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 19 Greek championship titles, 16 Greek Cups and in 1971 they reached the European Champion Clubs' Cup final.

Panathinaikos F.C. was the amateur football department of Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos multi-sport club (Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος), the Pan-Athenian Athletic Club, from which the club's other name, P.A.O., derives. In 1979 the department became professional and independent. They have played their home games in a number of fields, most significantly in Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, which is considered as their traditional home stadium, and in Athens Olympic Stadium. In 2008 the club announced the signing of a contract for the construction of its new stadium, Votanikos Arena, the project is due to begin in the summer of 2008.

The club's traditional kit colours are green shirts, white shorts and green socks. Their crest is a Tryfilli and its colour has changed between green and white in the past until the final adaptation of a green Tryfilli with the word Panathinaikos, in Greek, above it and the year of the club's establishment underneath it.
Honours

Domestic competitions
Greek Championship: 19 [3] [4]
1930, 1949, 1953, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2004
Greek Cup: 16 [5]
1940, 1948, 1955, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2004
Greek Super Cup: 3
1988, 1993, 1994

International competitions
European Champion Clubs' Cup: Runners-Up
1971
Intercontinental Cup: Runners-Up
1971
Balkans Cup: 1
1978
History

The club was founded on 3 February 1908 as P.O.A. - Podosferikos Omilos Athinon (Π.Ο.Α. - Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος Αθηνών), the Football Club of Athens, when George Kalafatis and a number of athletes decided to break away from their athletic club, Panellinios G.S., and form a new one which would be dedicated to football.[6] A field at Patission Avenue was rented for training and playing purposes. The decision came after two years of Kalafatis lobbying the boards of Ethnikos G.S. Athens and Panellinios G.S. to establish a football department. The clubs were reluctant, grounded in the elitist view that football was a sport for the working class.[7] Their first unofficial game was against the Piraeus-based Piraeikos, the predecessor of Olympiacos F.C., during the Athletic Games tournament in Trikala on September 1908; Piraeikos was beaten 9-0 by the fledgling club.[7] The victory in Trikala attracted the first supporters to Kalafatis' team. In 1909 the first official Greek football tournament, the S.E.G.A.S. Cup organized by the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics, took place. P.O.A. finished third behind F.C. Goudi and Piraeikos.[7]

In late 1909, after a dispute between a number of board members and subsequent exodus of some, Kalafatis, unable to cement his control of the board, decided together with most of the players to pull out of the club and secure a new ground at Amerikis Square.[7] They changed their name to P.P.O. - Panellinios Podosferikos Omilos (Greek: Π.Π.Ο. - Πανελλήνιος Ποδοσφαιρικός Όμιλος), the Panhellenic Football Club and were afterwards followed by most of the board members and fans.[6] In 1912, Oxford University athlete John Campbell was brought as coach,[8] until then Kalafatis had been both playing and coaching. The Englishman's impact was immediate as he introduced football skills and tactics not yet seen in Greek football, but considered rudimentary by English standards. It was the first time that a foreigner was appointed as coach of a Greek team. By 1914, Campbell had returned to England but the club was already dominating Greek football with players such as Michalis Papazoglou, Michalis Rokos, Loukas Panourgias and Apostolos Nikolaidis.

At the conclusion of the Great War, the name of the club was changed again to P.P.A.O. - Panellinios Podosferikos ke Agonistikos Omilos (Π.Π.A.Ο. - Πανελλήνιος Ποδοσφαιρικός και Αγωνιστικός Όμιλος), the Panhellenic Football and Sports Club, because its athletes were by then competing not only in football but in other sports as well.[7] In 1919, the club adopted green as its official colour and the Tryfilli as its emblem, as proposed by Michalis Papazoglou.[9][7] By this stage, the club had outgrown both the grounds at Patission Avenue and Amerikis Square, due mainly to its expansion in other sports, and began to look at vacant land at Perivola on Alexandras Avenue as its potential new ground. After long discussions and serious problems an agreement was reached and in 1924 Leoforos Alexandras was finally awarded to the club.[10] The move to a permanent home ground also heralded another, final, name change to P.A.O. - Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos (Π.Α.Ο. - Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος), the Pan-Athenian Athletic Club.[7]

In 1926 the Hellenic Football Federation (H.F.F.) was founded and the first autonomous Greek Championship took place in 1927, replacing the S.E.G.A.S. Cup. Panathinaikos won only one pre-war Championship in 1930 under the guidance of Joseph Kinsler with Angelos Messaris as the team's star player.[10] In 1931, a serious disagreement between board member Apostolos Nikolaidis and Messaris,[8] which lasted two years, damaged the club and led to a counterproductive period. In the meantime the H.F.F. Greek Cup had commenced in 1932. The last bright moment before World War II was winning the Cup for the first time in 1940 against Aris F.C. (3-1).

Post-war performance was better and until 1965, they had won 7 Championships (1949, 1953, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965) and 2 Cups (1948, 1955). One of the most remarkable accomplishments was the undefeated season of 1963-1964 with Stjepan Bobek as coach.[11][6] Panathinaikos were twice crowned Greek Champions (1969, 1970) and won a Greek Cup (1969) before 1971, when they were European Cup finalists, losing 2-0 to AFC Ajax at Wembley Stadium. They remain the only Greek club that has ever reached a European final. In the last amateur days, P.A.O. won one Championship in 1972 and the Double in 1977.

In 1979 Greek football turned professional and the Vardinogiannis family, who are mostly known for their oil, media and entertainment enterprises, purchased the club's football department and George Vardinogiannis became president.[8][6] Panathinaikos were one of the first Greek clubs that formed a women's team in 1980 but that department is currently inactive. The transformation period lasted a few years but in 1982 their first professional era trophy, the Greek Cup, put everything in order and they would go on winning 2 Championships (1984, 1986), 4 more Greek Cups (1984, 1986, 1988, 1989) and their first Greek Super Cup in 1988. In 1985, Panathinaikos had reached the European Cup semifinals, where they were thrown out by Liverpool F.C. (4-0, 0-1, aggregate 5-0).

The 1990s were a more successful period for the club, both nationally and internationally. Four Greek Championships (1990, 1991, 1995, 1996), 4 Greek Cups (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995) and 2 Greek Super Cups (1993, 1994) were awarded to the club. They reached the semifinal stage of the UEFA Champions League in 1996, when they faced AFC Ajax, recording a surprising first-leg away victory (0-1). However, they suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat on the second leg and were thus denied entry to the final once more. A long dry spell commenced after that year's European campaign.

In 2000 George Vardinogiannis stepped down.[8][11] On September 2001, IFFHS voted Panathinaikos F.C. as World's Club Team of the Month.[12] In Europe, they reached the quarter-final stage of the 2002 UEFA Champions League, losing 3-2 on aggregate to FC Barcelona, and the quarter-final stage of the 2003 UEFA Cup, losing 2-1 on aggregate to F.C. Porto. In recent domestic competition Panathinaikos' only success was the 2004 Double. Although they are the highest ranked Greek club in the official UEFA Club Ranking for the year 2008[13], they finished third in the 2006 and 2007 Championship. Today the team's chairman is Nikos Pateras but Giannis Vardinogiannis, George Vardinogiannis' nephew, is the most significant person in the club given he is the majority shareholder. They compete in the Super League Greece and play their home games at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. In 2008 Panathinaikos celebrates its centenary year.

The centenary crisis

Although Panathinaikos is celebrating its centenary, negative results over the years and some management decisions have created a crisis within the team which is still escalating.

Fans disarray with management

The unsuccessful results during the recent years in both domestic and European competitions have brought a great level of frustration to the Panathinaikos fans and especially the organised supporters of Gate 13. This led to vocal opposition against the management, since according to the fans they weren't investing enough financially in the club and the creation of the "Independent Gate 13", which was later renamed as the "Joint Operator of Gate 13 Clubs" (Ενιαίος Φορέας Συνδέσμων Θύρας 13)[14]. At the same time, a management-approved club was created under the name "Original Gate 13-1966" (Γνήσια Θύρα 13-1966)[15] and was the only club with access to tickets to the actual Gate 13 in Leoforos. Since the vast majority of fans did not want to join the management-approved club, match attendance fell to record lows, with less than 10,000 fans per game [16] .

Media wars

There are currently three sports newspapers in Greece which support Panathinaikos. Among them, one is considered the voice of the management of the football club ("Derby Sports") and another the voice of the opposition ("I Prasini"), which also comprises the owners of the basketball club Pavlos & Thanassis Giannakopoulos. The third ("Athlitiki Icho") is not known to maintain a specific policy. Among the first two, it is usual for reporters to accuse each other of being paid employees of either the Vardinogiannis or the Giannakopoulos family. Fans have been involved in this dispute and tensions have grown very high.

The emergence of PEK

Following the grave defeat in the Greek cup by Olympiacos FC early in 2008 and Panathinaikos elimination, a team of businessmen led by Andreas Vgenopoulos announced the creation of Panathenian Unifying Movement (Παναθηναϊκή Ενωτική Κίνηση, Panathinaiki Enotiki Kinisi) with the purpose to assist the club financially and organisationally. They pledged 1.5M euros for the amateur departments of Panathinaikos and asked the Vardinogiannis family to co-operate with them. Giannakopoulos brothers were present in the announcement and offered their support to the movement. Giannis Vardinogiannis refused to co-operate and considered this a take-over approach, restating that Panathinaikos F.C. is not for sale.

The April 13th march

After another grave defeat in Crete by OFI on April 6, and the apparent loss of the championship title, which most supporters believed the team had no option but to win because of its centenary, a march was announced for the following Sunday starting at Pedion tou Areos and ending outside the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium, with the sole purpose of asking Vardinogiannis family to sell the club. It was advertised mainly through mobile phones and internet forums. The march was considered successful by its organisers with estimates ranging between 20,000 (police) and 40,000 (fans). The fans later complained about a media blackout, since pictures from the march were not broadcast to the mainstream TV channels and attributed this to the control Vardinogiannis family has over two major TV channels (Mega and Star).

Ownership model changed

On April 22, president and main shareholder Giannis Vardinogiannis gave a press conference in which he announced the decision of his family to reduce their share in the club to 50%, after 30 years of full ownership, through a 80 million € increase of the company's capital stock.[17]
Andreas Vgenopoulos, president of the Panathenian Unifying Movement, responded later in the afternoon with a press release, stating his happiness for seeing Mr. Vardinogiannis' decision to follow the right direction for the good of the club and pronounced the start of the negotiations after the end of the Greek Easter holidays (April 28). [18]


Crest and colours

The crest and colours were first used by the club in 1919 when player Michalis Papazoglou, a Constantinopolitan, proposed that the club adopt the colour green with a shamrock (three-leafed clover) as an emblem, as used by his Chalcedon-based former club of Chalkidona. The jersey colors are green and white, although the white sometimes is omitted, used as trim or as an alternative.
In Panathinaikos' first years after the establishment of green as the team's primary color, players were wearing green shirts, white shorts and green socks although the uniform has changed many times since then.
Honoring the club's past and in part of the centenary season's celebrations two new jerseys (home and away) were introduced on January 6, 2008[19]. A centennial year logo was also introduced, it was chosen by the fans via the club's website through a contest that took place in 2007[20]. The logo combines the Tryfilli with the number 100.
Stadium
 
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium.
Main article: Apostolos Nikolaidis StadiumStadium Name   Capacity   Years
Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium   original: 25.000
(16.620 after 2001 renovation)   1923 - 1983,
2000 - 2005,
2007 - 2008
Athens Olympic Stadium   71.000   1983 - 2000,
2005 - 2007,
2008 - present
Votanikos Arena   42.000 (proposed)
(over 50.000 with upgrade)   2010 and for the next 99 years


Panathinaikos FC original home ground since the early 1920s was the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium in the Ampelokipi district in central Athens. The stadium is located on Alexandras Avenue and is most commonly referred to as the "Leoforos" (i.e. Avenue). It is considered the most historic in Greece as it was used by the Greek national football team as home ground for many years (most recently for the Euro 2004 qualifying matches) and even by Panathinaikos' biggest rivals, AEK Athens FC (for the 2002-2003 UEFA Champions League matches) and Olympiacos Piraeus (for friendly matches). Many world-famous sides such as FC Porto, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal F.C., Manchester United, Everton FC, Red Star Belgrade and others have succumbed to the fiery passion displayed by PAO fans.

Panathinaikos left the Leoforos in 1983 to play in the newly built Olympic Stadium of Athens. In 2000, the then club president Aggelos Philippides announced a return to Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, following a 7 m € renovation. Capacity was reduced from 25,000 to 16,620, new dressing rooms were built and modular stand roofing was added in compliance with UEFA requirements, but in 2004 stricter standards were announced and Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium would need further expansion were it to remain suitable for UEFA-sanctioned matches. This was precluded by local zoning regulations and the team had to return to the Athens Olympic stadium once more, until a new stadium, the Votanikos Arena, is built (projected for late 2008). The Leoforos ground is due for demolition and will become a park. A small section of the west curve spectator stands, the legendary "Gate 13", will be retained and house a small Panathinaikos museum.

In January 27, 2007 Panathinaikos Amateur and Panathinaikos FC decided to reuse Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium for the 2007/2008 Greek Super League season and UEFA Cup matches. Also, the club directors decided to install new lawn, new seats and upgrade the press conference room and all the rest rooms.

AnthemGreek   Transliteration   Translation

Σύλλογος μεγάλος δεν υπάρχει άλλος
δεν υπάρχει άλλος πιο δυναμικός.
Και χιλιάδες φίλοι μόλις δουν τριφύλλι
ζήτω λένε ο Παναθηναϊκός.

Παναθηναϊκέ, Παναθηναϊκέ,
Παναθηναϊκέ μεγάλε και τρανέ.
Παναθηναϊκέ, Παναθηναϊκέ,
πρωταθλητή σ' όλα τα σπορ παντοτινέ.

Σ' έχουνε δοξάσει οι γνωστοί σου άσσοι
που λεβέντες είναι όλοι με καρδιά.
Χαίρεται η Ελλάδα που έχει τέτοια ομάδα
που της νίκης έχει πάντα τα κλειδιά.

Παναθηναϊκέ, Παναθηναϊκέ,
Παναθηναϊκέ μεγάλε και τρανέ.
Παναθηναϊκέ, Παναθηναϊκέ,
πρωταθλητή σ' όλα τα σπορ παντοτινέ.   
Syllogos megalos den yparchei allos
den yparchei allos pio dynamikos.
Kai chiliades filoi molis doun trifylli
zītō lene o panathīnaikos.

Panathīnaike, Panathīnaike,
Panathīnaike megale kai trane.
Panathīnaike, Panathīnaike,
prōtathlītī s' ola ta spor pantotine.

S' echoune doxasei oi gnōstoi sou assoi
pou leventes einai olloi me kardia.
Chairetai ī Ellada pou echei tetoia omada
pou tīs nikīs echei panta ta kleidia.

Panathīnaike, Panathīnaike,
Panathīnaike megale kai trane.
Panathīnaike, Panathīnaike,
prōtathlītī s' ola ta spor pantotine.   
There is no greater club
there is no other more dynamic.
And thousands of friends once they see a shamrock
hurrah they shout for Panathinaikos.

Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos,
Panathinaikos great and grand.
Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos,
everlasting champion in every sport.

You've been glorified by your noted aces
who are all brave and hearted.
Greece is pleasured to have such a team
that always has the keys to victory.

Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos,
Panathinaikos great and grand.
Panathinaikos, Panathinaikos,
everlasting champion in every sport.




[edit]
Current squad

Note: About this year's transfers, see Panathinaikos F.C. season 2008-09

As of 23 July 2008.No.      Position   Player
1      GK   Mario Galinović
3      DF   Josu Sarriegi
4      MF   Marcelo Mattos
5      FW   Ante Rukavina
7      MF   Sotiris Ninis
8      DF   Yannis Goumas (captain)
10      MF   Silva Cleyton
14      FW   Dimitris Salpigidis
15      MF   Gilberto Silva
16      DF   Stefanos Siontis
17      FW   Lazaros Christodoulopoulos
18      GK   Arkadiusz Malarz
19      DF   Gabriel Rodrigues
20      MF   Sotiris Leontiou
21      MF   Giorgos Karagounis (vice-captain)
         No.      Position   Player
22      MF   Alexandros Tziolis
23      DF   Mate Junior Simao
24      DF   Loukas Vyntra
25      FW   Dame N'Doye
26      FW   Evangelos Mantzios
27      MF   Andreas Ivanschitz
28      FW   Antonis Petropoulos
29      DF   Mikael Nilsson
30      MF   Elini Dimoutsos
31      DF   Nikos Spiropoulos
33      GK   Orestis Karnezis
      FW   Rodrigo de Souza Cardoso
      DF   Christos Melissis
      MF   Bryce Moon


Notable former players
See also Categories: Panathinaikos footballersGreece
 Antonis Antoniadis
 Kostas Antoniou
 Stratos Apostolakis
 Angelos Basinas
 Georgios Delikaris
 Mimis Domazos
 Giorgos Donis
 Kostas Eleftherakis
 Panagiotis Filakouris
 Takis Fyssas
 Kostas Frantzeskos
 Mike Galakos
 Theofanis Gekas
 Lysandros Georgamlis
 Giorgos Georgiadis
 Takis Ikonomopoulos
 George Kalafatis
 Ioannis Kalitzakis
 Aristidis Kamaras
 Giorgos Kapouranis
 Anthimos Kapsis
 Thanasis Kolitsidakis
 Ioannis Kyrastas
 Sotirios Kyrgiakos
 Kostas Linoxilakis
 Spiros Livathinos
 Takis Loukanidis
 Nikos Lyberopoulos
 Spiros Marangos
 Angelos Messaris
 Antonis Miyiakis
 Apostolos Nikolaidis
 Antonis Nikopolidis
 Nikos Nioplias
 Loukas Panourgias
 Andreas Papaemmanouil
 Nikos Sarganis
 Dimitris Saravakos
 Giourkas Seitaridis   Angola
 Manucho
Argentina
 Oscar Alvarez
 Juan José Borrelli
 Fernando Galetto
 Juan Ramón Rocha
 Juan Ramón Verón
 Ezequiel Gonzalez
Australia
 Chris Kalantzis
Brazil
 Júlio César da Silva
 Flávio Conceição
 Araken Demelo
Cameroon
 Joël Epalle
Croatia
 Aljoša Asanović
 Robert Jarni
 Goran Vlaović
 Velimir Zajec
 Igor Bišćan
Cyprus
 Michalis Konstantinou
Denmark
 Rene Henriksen
 Jan Michaelsen
Finland
 Joonas Kolkka
Germany
 Markus Münch
 Karlheinz Pflipsen
 Walter Wagner   Netherlands
 Tschen La Ling
Norway
 Erik Mykland
Peru
 Percy Olivares
Poland
  Krzysztof Warzycha
 Józef Wandzik
 Emmanuel Olisadebe
Portugal
 Paulo Sousa
 Helder Postiga
Serbia
 Borivoje Đorđević
South Africa
 Nasief Morris
Spain
 Víctor Sánchez


All time leaders in appearances and goalsRank   Name   Caps   Still Active?
1    Mimis Domazos   502   No
2    Krzysztof Warzycha   390   No
3    Kostas Antoniou   322   No
4    Anthimos Kapsis   319   No
5    Frangiskos Sourpis   309   No
Rank   Name   Goals   Still Active?
1    Krzysztof Warzycha   288   No
2    Antonis Antoniadis   197   No
3    Dimitris Saravakos   156   No
4    Nikos Lyberopoulos   97   Yes
5    Kostas Eleftherakis   88   No


Former coaches
See also Categories: Panathinaikos football managers

As of 19 May 2008. George Kalafatis 1908-1912
 John Campbell 1912 - 1914
 Milko Forner 1928
 Joseph Kinsler 1928-193?
 Joseph Strandl 1949
 Harry Game 1951 - 1963
 Stjepan Bobek 1963-1967
  Béla Guttmann: 1967-1968
 Lakis Petropoulos 1968-1970, 1979, 1981-1982
  Ferenc Puskás 1970-1974
 Kazimierz Górski 1976-1977
 Bruno Pesaola 1979-1980
 Ronnie Allen 1980
 Andreas Papaemanouil 1980, 1983
 Helmut Senekowitsch 1980-1981
 Ştefan Kovács 1982-1983
 Konstantinos Tsakos 1983
 Jacek Gmoch 1983-1985
 Pietr Packert 1985-1986    Tomislav Ivić 1986
 Vassilis Daniil 1986-1988, 1990-1992, 1997-1999
 Gunder Bengtsson 1988-1989
 Christo Bonev 1989-1990
 Ivica Osim 1992-1994
 Juan Ramón Rocha 1994-1996, 1999
 Velimir Zajec 1996-1997
 Ioannis Kyrastas 1999-2000, 2001
 Angelos Anastasiadis 2000-2001
 Sergio Markarián 2001-2002, 2002-2003
 Fernando Santos 2002
 Itzhak Shum 2003-2004
 Zdeněk Ščasný 2004-2005
 Alberto Malesani 2005-2006
 Hans Backe 2006
 Jasminko Velić 2006
 Víctor Muñoz 2006-2007
 Jose Peseiro 2007-2008


European campaignsSeason   Achievement   Notes
European Champion Clubs' Cup
1970-71   Final   defeated by Ajax 2-0 at Wembley Stadium
1984-85   Semi Final   eliminated by Liverpool F.C. 0-1 in Athens, 0-4 in Liverpool
1991-92   Semi Final Group Stage   finished fourth in a group with Sampdoria, FK Red Star and RSC Anderlecht
Champions League
1995-96   Semi Final   eliminated by Ajax won 1-0 in Amsterdam ,0-3 in Athens
2000-01   Second Group   eliminated in a group with Manchester Utd, Valencia CF and SK Sturm Graz
2001-02   Quarter Final   eliminated by FC Barcelona won 1-0 in Athens, 1-3 in Barcelona
UEFA Cup
1987-88   Quarter final   eliminated by Club Brugge 2-2 in Athens ,0-1 in Belgium
2002-03   Quarter final   eliminated by FC Porto won 1-0 in Portugal, lost 2-0 in Athens
Intercontinental Cup
1971   Final   tied with Nacional 1-1 in Athens, defeated 1-2 in Uruguay



UEFA club competition record

As of 22 February 2008.Competition     Pld     W     D     L     GF     GA 
ECCC   125   39   37   49   146   169
ECWC   22   9   3   10   29   36
UCUP   62   27   12   23   84   73
SCUP   0   0   0   0   0   0
UIC   0   0   0   0   0   0
EUSA   2   0   1   1   2   3
Total   211   75   53   83   261   281

Ten Cate dobio zadatak: S Rukavinom i Gilbertom ući u Ligu prvaka

PANATHINAIKOS je prekinuo kratkotrajni ljetni odmor kako bi se pripremio za europsku kampanju i prvi susret protiv ekipe Dinamo Tbilisi iz Gruzije. Henk Ten Cate od svoje ekipe zahtijeva glatku pobjedu protiv Dinama u drugom pretkolu Lige prvaka.

Panathinaikos je završio kao trećeplasirana momčad grčke Super lige, a nastup u drugom pretkolu Lige prvaka izborio je u mini ligi četiriju momčadi domaćeg prvenstva. Nastup su si osigurali u izravnom dvoboju protiv AEK-a.

Veliki planovi - zapažen rezultat u Europi i prekid dugogodišnje dominacije Olympiacosa

Grčka momčad sada za cilj ima ostvariti zapaženi rezultat na europskoj sceni, ali i u domaćem prvenstvu, gdje je primarni cilj prekinuti dugogodišnju dominaciju Olympiacosa. Posljednje prvenstvo osvojeno je prije četiri godine kada je PAO prekinuo osmogodišnji post. Obitelj Vardinoyannis, koja je na čelu kluba, ove godine pred nizozemskog trenera Ten Catea postavlja  visoke ciljeve, dopustivši da se u klub dovedu znatna pojačanja, poput našeg Ante Rukavine ili Brazilca Gilberta.

Zadatak koji je pred njega stavljen, da igra atraktivno i učinkovito kako bi povratio vjeru navijača razočaranih rezultatima iz proteklih sezona, bit će teško, ali ne i nemoguće dosegnuti, smatra novi trener i svi stručnjaci oko njega. Osim toga, najvažnije je da Zeleni prekinu dominaciju Crvenih u domaćem prvenstvu, kao i to da ostvare zapažen rezultat u Europi.

"Nitko ne može prognozirati kakva će biti budućnost, ali znam da u momčadi vlada pozitivna kemija i da to naši navijači osjećaju", kazao je Ten Cate naglasivši kako ipak ne treba pretjerivati i kako treba vremena da se momčad do kraja definira:

"Obožavam napadački nogomet, ali nisam lud da gradim 'kuću' od krova. Mi smo počeli graditi 'kuću' od temelja osiguravši odličnu i jaku obranu, zatim smo uskladili vezni red i napad", kazao je Nizozemac.

Od prinova Ten Cate ističe Rukavinu i Gilberta

Od prinova u momčadi u kojoj je i sam prinova, Ten Cate ističe 31-godišnjeg defenzivnog veznog Brazilca Gilberta koji je pun iskustva s velikih nastupa, zatim našeg mladog napadača Rukavinu i 21-godišnjeg Lazarosa Christodoulopoulosa iz PAOK-a.

Rukavina je u svojim dosadašnjim nastupima pokazao da se uklopio u igru nove momčad. Iako ga je Ten Cate prvo koristio na desnoj strani veznog reda, a potom i kao polušpicu iza dva napadača, mladi Šibenčanin je pokazao individualne kvalitete, brzinu i tehniku pa je Nizozemac shvatio kakve golgeterske sposobnosti ima bivši igrač Hajduka koji će prema nagovještajima iz kluba igrati u početnom sastavu.

Izvor: Index

Rukavina debitirao u Ligi prvaka

ANTE RUKAVINA je jučer debitirao u Ligi prvaka za Panathinaikos odigravši posljednjih deset minuta u pobjedi zelenih nad Dinamom iz Tbilisija od 3:0.

Bivši Hajdukovac jučer je upisao svoje prvi minute u najelitnijem europskom nogometnom natjecanju. Nije postigao pogodak, a nije ni imao puno prilike za to. Ušao je u igru u 79. minuti zamijenivši Evangelosa Mantziosa.

Apsolutni heroj u viskoj pobjedi Panathinaikosa bio je Dimitris Salpingidis koji je prvo bio asistent Austrijancu Ivanschitzu za vodeći pogodak u 17. minuti, da bi sam dva puta zatresao mrežu u 45. i 74. minuti.

Panathinaikos na uzvrat ide s ogromnom zalihom koju će vrlo teško gruzijska momčad nadoknaditi.

Izvor: Index

ajd da se upisem u zeleno-beloj strani foruma

PAO doveo Kardosa

Grčki fudbalski klub Panatinaikos doveo je brazilskog napadača Rodriga de Soušu Kardosa iz Flamenga, objavio je večeras atinski prvoligaš.

Panatinaikos je objavio da je ugovor sa 26-godišnjim Soušom potpisan na četiri godine, ali nije objavio nikakve druge detalje. Mediji u Atini preneli su da je transfer vredan tri miliona evra. Souša je igrao i u Vasko da Gami i sofijskom CSKA pre nego što je prošle godine otišao u Flamengo. Panatinaikos je u sredu pobedio Dinamo iz Tbilisija 3:0 u kvalifikacijama za Ligu šampiona.

Izvor: B92

 

Немам баш пуно прилике да пратим грчку лигу, иако ми делује доста занимљиво, ако изузмемо борбу за прво место. Свакако да томе доприноси и сјајна атмосфеда на грчким стадионима. Навијачи су им скроз луди. Гледао сам скоро њихов највећи дерби и могу рећи да дуго нисам видео такво навијање.


Што се тиче Панатинаикоса, чуо сам да имају неког врло талентованог клинца у нападу. Кажу да би он коначно могао постати неко ко ће се прославити и ван граница Грчке.

MONDO: Panatinaikos želi Ivanovića

Učesnik Lige šampiona Panatinaikos ozbiljno je zainteresovan da iz Čelsija dovede Branislava Ivanovića, saznaje MONDO iz dobro obaveštenih izvora u Grčkoj.

Engleskom klubu već su se obratili Milan i Juventus, ali je njihov zahtev da srpskog reprezentativca dobiju na pozajmicu glatko odbijen.

U ovom trenutku još nije jasno da li su "zeleni" iz Atine poslali u London sličnu ponudu, ili su raspoloženi da izbroje značajan iznos novca i trajno odvedu Ivanovića (24) tamo gde bi sigurno imao garantovan status prvotimca.

Štoper koji po potrebi može da igra na poziciji desnog beka stigao je u Čelsi prošlog januara iz moskovske Lokomotive.

Čitav prolećni deo prethodne sezone proveo je na tribinama, što je isprva pravdano njegovom nespremnošću, ali se kasnije pokazalo da tadašnji menadžer Avram Grant nije želeo da u finišu takmičenja eksperimentiše sa novim igračima u zadnjoj liniji.

Ivanović je ove jeseni odigrao deset mečeva za Čelsi, od toga sedam u prvoj postavi, ali uglavnom kada su Karvaljo ili Aleks bili povređeni.

S obzirom na to da je upisao jedan nastup u Ligi šampiona, ne bi mogao da pomogne Panatinaikosu u mečevima osmine finala protiv Viljareala.

Izvor: MTS-Mondo

ja sam irse navijam i najvise na svetu volim partizana i liverpul moj omiljeni fudbaler je fernando tores  i volim ga najvise