Panathinaikos

Athens rises to new teen sensation

When 19-year-old Yourkas Seitaridis began his season as a squad member at newly-promoted PAS Ioannina, the slight, skilful Under-21 international admitted he was nervous at the prospect of playing in the Greek top flight. Six months later, Seitaridis stepped on to the European stage, wearing the green of Panathinaikos, to face the might of Manchester United. Within 25 minutes, the callow youth had grown in stature as he overcame playing out of position to crash a 25-yard shot past World Cup and European Championship-winning goal gaolkeeper Fabien Barthez to give his team a deserved lead. To close followers of the youngster's progress, the transformation was not so surprising. After all, here was a player who, when he left his last club, prompted the manager to resign in protest.

Panathinaikos announced in December that they had agreed a five-year contract with the young prospect, but that he would remain at Ioannina until the end of the season. A series of scintillating performances later and PAO decided they couldn't wait. Ioannina president Manthos Kolembas was put under such pressure that Seitaridis was smuggled out hours before a League match against Panionios, even though his name was already on the starting sheet. Coach Giorgos Paraschos was so furious at losing his best player that he quit straight after the match.

The man who had moved heaven and earth to bring the right-sided midfielder on board, then-PAO coach Angelos Anastasiadis, didn't survive long enough to enjoy the benefits of his shrewd purchase. He resigned following the Athens team's disappointing exit from Europe at the hands of unfancied Sturm Graz.

Unphased by the managerial chaos, Seitaridis settled quickly into his new surroundings and started to knock on the door of the first team, taking his place in a side that returned to Ioannina to inflict a 4-0 thrashing in February. Nevertheless, eyebrows were raised when the player's name appeared on the team-sheet for their Champions' League clash with United. Everyone expected a rout and journalists had asked Sir Alex Ferguson if his side would show mercy. The question must have seemed particularly bizarre to Barthez, as first he picked the ball out of his net, then remained his side's busiest player for the rest of the night. Meanwhile, the composed and agile Seitaridis was running the show down the right, making England's Phil Neville and France's Mikael Silvestre look so ordinary that both were withdrawn before the end of the game. For the boy who moved from the countryside just two months ago, the match was a dream come true. For Ferguson's men, it was a recurring nightmare.

"Panathinaikos have given us more problems in defence than any other team," said a bemused Gary Neville. "I can't explain why because we've played sides with much bigger reputations."

When the shell-shocked Ferguson was quizzed about which of the Panathinaikos players had impressed him most, the Scot showed much fancier footwork than his team by claiming to have been unable to pick anyone out – as they had all played so well.

However, the name Seitaridis will have been firmly logged in the mind of the United coach, and an interested Swedish observer in the Athens stands will have left hoping that Seitaridis' World Cup debut is still some way off, with England playing Greece in June.

Source: Onefootball.com

Konstantinou poised for PAO switch

Panathinaikos have emerged as clear leaders in the race to buy in-demand
striker Michalis Konstantinou after the player admitted he had received a "very
good offer" from the club. The Cyprus international has also been approached
by Milan and Anderlecht.

Speaking in a live internet interview on his personal web page, the Iraklis striker,
22, admitted that an offer had been made by PAO. "I have an offer that is
extremely good by Greek standards... It has the specifics that I need," he said.

Konstantinou added that his sensational form had not gone unnoticed outside
Greece, confirming that he has been approached by Belgian champions
Anderlecht and Italian giants AC Milan.

But the international hinted strongly that he will be wearing the green jersey
of Panathinaikos next season, saying that there is not much left for him at Iraklis.

"I have given all I had to give," said the club's top scorer. "And I have a duty to
myself to keep setting higher standards all the time."

Panathinaikos are reported to have made a cash-plus-players offer of over Ł6 million to the Thessaloniki side and are, as onefootball.com revealed last month, on course to land their No 1 summer target.

The talented target man refused to be drawn on whether the PAO offer would satisfy his current club Iraklis. "It satisfies me but I could not possibly answer for Iraklis," he said.

Konstantinou also revealed that he has not been approached by Greek champions Olympiakos, despite local reports that the club were ready to break their transfer record to sign him.

PAO are now set to do battle with Iraklis president Evangelos Mytilineos over any sell-on clause in the forward's contract after the player announced his eventual intention to play abroad.

"I have said before and will restate that I see myself playing in another country at some point in my career," he said.

Source: Onefootball.com

Bologna eye Ł2.2m Panathinaikos star

Serie A outfit Bologna are ready to table a Ł2.2 million bid for
Panathinaikos midfielder Giorgos Karagounis, who is certain to
start for Greece in Wednesday's vital World Cup qualifier against
England.

Karagounis has yet to be offered an improved contract after
coming throught the ranks at the Athens giants, and a string of
fine performances in the Champions' League have alerted a
number of top clubs.

Panathinaikos are reportedly ready to listen to serious offers,
and sources close the club have confirmed to onefootball.com
that they will not stand in the way of any players who want to
pursue their careers abroad - so long as the terms are right.

Karagounis was linked with a move to Turin giants Juventus earlier in the season, but no offer was made.

The central midfielder has been under the spotlight since putting in a tremendous performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford where he stole David Beckham's thunder by scoring a sensational 35-yard free kick.

Source: Onefootball.com

PAO rebuilding goes on as Olisadebe decision looms

Panathinaikos are waiting to hear whether Nigerian-born forward Emmanuel Olisadebe
will be granted European Union status next season.

Olisadebe, who holds a Polish passport, has been in sensational form since arriving in
the Greek capital from Polonia Warsaw earlier this year .

With the Poles enjoying EU candidacy status, PAO are hopeful they can persuade the
Greek FA (EPO) that Olisadebe should be re-registered and not included as one of the
five non-EU player on their books.

PAO officials are also quietly confident that the signing of Cypriot hot-shot Michalis
Konstantinou is only a matter of time. The 22-year-old described the Athens team's terms
as "acceptable" this week.

The Iraklis forward is unlikely to be the last summer arrival at PAO with a move expected
for FC Copenhagen's talented left-back Niclas Jensen.

Greece Under-21 star Yourkas Sietaridis has secured the right-back berth for next season but the club are looking to strengthen their defensive line with Percy Olivares and Daniel Saric expected to move on.

Denmark international Jensen, 26, formerly played for PSV Eindhoven and has been monitored closely by PAO, who are ready with a Ł750,000 bid.

Source: Onefootball.com

Konstantinou set for Ł7m PAO switch

Panathinaikos are set to unveil Michalis Konstantinou after breaking their transfer record to land the Cyrpiot sensation in a Ł7 million cash plus players deal.

Costas Halkias, Vangelis Koutsoures and Giorgos Nassiopoulos are all on their way to Iraklis, bringing to an end two months of frantic speculation over the future of the 22-year-old Konstantiinou.

The news will come as a blow to both AC Milan and Olympiakos, who had both enquired after the Cyprus international.

"It will be a great honour to wear the Panathinaikos jersey," the striker
announced on his website, while club sources revealed to onefootball.com
that the deal was done and an official announcement would follow late on
Saturday.

The transfer reunites Konstantinou with coach Yiannis Kyrastas who was at the
helm of Iraklis for the opening nine months of last season, before returning to
former club PAO in the closing weeks of the season.

The makeweights in the deal - goalkeeper Halkias, midfielder Koutsoures and
striker Nassiopoulos - were the preferred choices of Iraklis boss Anastasiadis
who coached them during his brief reign at PAO in the season just past.

Halkias proved to be the key to the deal as Iraklis' keeper search has taken top priority since they parted ways with German shot stopper Andreas Rainke.

Konstantinou's arrival at PAO leaves them with an embarrassment of attacking riches with Poland international Emmanuel Olisadebe, Greek player of the year Nikos Liberopoulos, Croatia star Goran Vlaovic and Polish veteran Krzysztof Warzycha all competing up front.

There is little doubt that the Cyrpiot scorer will enjoy number one status with Liberopoulos widely expected to drop into a deeper role, and Olisadebe partnering Konstantinou up front.

PAO is unlikely to be the 22-year-old's last stop after he stated his clear ambition to play in one of Europe's elite leagues.

Should he impress in PAO's Champions' League campaign, Iraklis will stand to profit to the tune of 50 per cent of any sell-on fee after club president Evanfelos Mytilineos insisted on inserting the clause in the deal

Source: Onefootball.com

Slavia Prague 1 Panathinaikos 2

Nikolaos Liberopoulos and Giorgios Karagounis scored Panathinaikos' goals
as the Greek side secured an impressive win over Slavia Prague in Wednesday's
Champions' League third qualifying round first leg in the Strahov stadium.

Panathinaikos started the game with forwards Emmanuel Olisadebe, Krzysztof
Warzycha and Goran Vlaovic all on the bench, but nevertheless caused the
Slavia defence problems right from the kick-off.

Panathinaikos defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos headed fractionally over Radek Cerny's
crossbar in the fourth minute as the home side began nervously.

The Czechs soon settled down, though, and Ludek Zelenka was disappointed to
see his long-range free-kick deflect off the wall straight into the waiting arms of
Panathinaikos goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis.

But in the 25th minute the visitors showed just how dangerous they could be on
the break. Finnish winger Joonas Kolkka raced down the left before sending over
a dangerous cross.

Slavia defender Darko Suskavcevic could only slice the ball across the face of
his own goal to an unmarked Liberopoulos, who gratefully fired home the opening
goal.

Slavia looked to hit back immediately and almost drew level in the 32nd minute. Richard Dostalek stole the ball off Rene Henriksen before skipping past a tackle and crashing a shot goalwards from the edge of the area, but Nikopolidis got down well to save.

Slavia were booed off the pitch at half-time by the 11,000-strong crowd, prompting coach Josef Pesice to send on playmaker and crowd-favourite Tomas Kuchar - even though he was lacking match fitness.

But the visitors continued to create the best opportunities and Liberopoulos was close to scoring his second of the evening from a corner in the 50th minute, but his header flew straight into Cerny's arms.

Five minutes later, Panathinaikos doubled their lead. The Czech side pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but were caught out when Karagounis was sent clear on the counter-attack. He raced to the edge of the Slavia penalty area before directing the ball precisely into the corner of Cerny's net.

To their credit Slavia continued to attack the Greek side and were rewarded with a goal in the 68th minute. Patrick Gedeon drove past Henriksen into the area, laid the ball back to Pavel Kuka, who found the roof of the net from close range.

Panathinaikos had the chance to kill the tie off the in the 87th minute when Slavia midfielder Dostalek gave the ball away to substitute Olisadebe. The Poland striker skipped past Martin Muller's tackle before he was brought down by Cerny inside the penalty area.

The Slavia keeper was sent off for the professional foul, but Angelos Basinas fired the resulting penalty wide of the goal with just the stand-in goalkeeper Dostalek to beat.

Source: Onefootball.com

Kyrastas lauds battling Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos coach Yiannis Kyrastas praised his side for the fighting spirit which saw them overcome Slavia Prague 2-1 in Wednesday's Champions' League qualifier."We had the guts to go for the win straight from the whistle," he said.

Nikolaos Liberopoulos and Giorgios Karagounis scored the all-important goals while Pavel Kuka got one back for the Czech side.

"We had courage and our approach was justified," the coach declared. "We achieved our aim and have the advantage, but nothing is over yet."

The manager, returning to the PAO helm after a season in charge of Iraklis, made a point of defending Angelos Basinas, who missed a late penalty for the Greens.

Kyrastas said: "It's not important that he missed the penalty, what matters is the fact
that he played well for the whole 90 minutes."

Source: Onefootball.com

Vokolos returns for Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos have been boosted ahead of their Champions' League qualifier with
Slavia Prague by the return from injury of Greece defender Leonidas Vokolos. The
Greek side go into the match as favourites after a convincing 2-1 first-leg win in Prague.

The influential Vokolos sat out the first leg but is fit again and replaces Under-21
international Sotiris Kyrgiakos in the PAO back line.

Coach Yiannis Kyrastas praised his side for the fighting spirit which saw them overcome
the Czech Republic side last week. "We had the guts to go for the win straight from the
whistle," he said.

Nikolaos Liberopoulos and Giorgios Karagounis scored the all-important goals while
Pavel Kuka got one back for the Czech side.

Kyrastas, returning to the PAO helm after a season in charge of Iraklis, is likely to field an unchanged line up in midfield. Angelos Basinas and Giorgos Karagounis will play through the middle with Joonas Kolkka and Jan Michalesen patrolling the wings.

Portugal international Paulo Sousa is set for a place among the substitutes after proving his fitness in the qualifying phase of the Greek Cup.

Liberopoulos will retain his place alongside Cypriot Michalis Konstantinou in attack, leaving Croatian international Goran Vlaovic and Poland star Emmanuel Olisadebe on the sidelines.

The Greens' only major absentees are defender Yiannis Goumas - out until Christmas - and Ghanaian Derek Boateng, who is set to return before the league kick off on September 23.

Slavia Prague, meanwhile, have been buoyed by winning their past two games - against Hradec Kralove and Banik Ostrava - since the defeat to the Athens team. "Beating a good team like Banik is a good morale boost," said coach Josef Pesire.

But striker Pavel Kuka is doubtful after injuring his knee in the 3-2 win over Banik and Michal Vaclavik has been forced to stand in for first choice goalkeeper Radek Cerny, who was sent off in the first-leg.

Vaclavik, who has only played a handful of games for Slavia, will make his debut in European competition.

Source: Onefootball.com

Panathinaikos cruise through against Slavia

ATHENS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Panathinaikos are back in the Champions League for the second season in a row after beating Slavia Prague 1-0 in Athens for a 3-1 aggregate triumph.

The Greeks had done the hard work a fortnight ago in Prague, winning 2-1 in the
first leg of the third-round qualifying match and showed little attacking ambition
in a muted match.

With Denmark international Rene Henriksen dominant in defence for the hosts,
the visitors' strike force of Pavel Kuka and Tomas Dosek had precious few chances
to threaten goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis.

Man-of-the match Henriksen did the damage at the other end as well, finishing
a marauding run by being felled in the area to win the penalty that settled the
tie. Greece midfielder Angelos Basinas overcame his nerves to convert from the
spot and make amends for a first-leg miss.

Slavia came close to an equaliser soon afterwards when a mix-up between
goalkeeper Nikopoldis and Henriksen gifted the ball to Kuka, but his shot was
cleared off the line by Basinas.

With a 3-1 aggregate lead, the home side reined in their attacking ambitions,
withdrawing fullbacks Yourkas Seitaridis and Takis Fyssas and concentrating
on retaining possession.

The introduction of Paulo Sousa in the second half gave the hosts an edge in
midfield and the Portugal international combined well with fellow substitute Goran Vlaovic to trouble the Slavia back line throughout the second half.

Both Michaelsen and Finn Joonas Kolkka came close with late efforts that hit the side netting but the damage was already done and coach Yiannis Kyrastas withdrew striker Michalis Konstantinou for defender Leonidas Vokolos.

Source: Soccernet.com

Schalke 04 0 Panathinaikos 2

Greek side Panathinaikos won few friends in Germany after
their fans whistled the minute's silence for those killed in the
terrorist attacks on the USA, but a clever and diligent display
based on a tight-marking defence earned them a deserved
win at Schalke.

Schalke began the brighter of the two sides, but their build-up
neglected the wings and consequently failed to produce
clear-cut scoring opportunities against a hard-working
Panathinaikos side that did a good job in neutralising Schalke
forwards Emile Mpenza and Victor Agali.

Nigeria international Agali, however, almost gave the home
side the lead as his shot from a narrow angle hit the side-netting on 17 minutes.

The only other chance of a hectic first-half fell to Michaelis Konstantinou, after he was teed up by Finland winger Jonas
Kolkka, but he fired straight at Schalke keeper Oliver Reck with half an hour gone.

In the second period, Schalke became increasingly nervous and the visitors started
to look threatening on the counter. Indeed, but for the waywardness of some of their
passing, PAO could have gone ahead long before they did.

It was substitute Goran Vlaovic who got the vital opener, as his free-kick scudded
under a jumping Schalke wall and found the bottom corner.

The Athens-based side finally put the game beyond doubt in impressive manner
when Aggelos Basinas, brilliantly set up by Konstantinou, doubled their lead five
minutes later by scoring from 12 yards.

Despite nearly six minutes of injury-time, the Germans failed to break down
Panathinaikos and will have learned a valuable lesson in the tactics of European
competition.

Schalke: Reck, Hajto, Waldoch, Van Kerckhoven, Oude Kamphuis, Van Hoogdalem (Djordjevic 78), Nemec, Bohme
(Asamoah 68), Moller (Wilmots 52), Agali, Mpenza

Panathinaikos: Nikopolitis, Fissas, Kirjakos, Henriksen, Seitaridis, Basinas, Paulo Sousa, Kolkka (Vlaovic 69), Michaelsen, Karagounis, Konstantinou

Booked: Mpenza (Schalke) Karagounis, Michaelsen (Panathinaikos)

Referee: Braschi (Italy)

Attendance: 52,000

Source: Onefootball.com