Panathinaikos have been crowned Greek champions after beating Iraklis 2-0 on Sunday. Djibril Cisse and Sotiris Ninis were the goal scorers in the match that gave PAO its first Greek championship since 2004.
PAO has collected 67 points from 29 games and have a six-point lead over rivals Olympiakos with only one more match to be played.
Olympiakos defeated relegated Panthrakikos, but it was too little, too late for the Reds having dropped points consistently since being defeated by AEK at home after the Christmas break.
Nioplias, in charge since December 2009, has guided Panathinaikos to the top of the table and also impressed in the Europa League by eliminating Italian table toppers Roma.
They were eventually beaten by Standard Liege in the quarter finals but will have the opportunity to re-establish its European pedigree in the Champions League in 2010/11.
Brazilian international Gilberto Silva and former Liverpool star Cisse have been the Athens side’s star players in the 2009-10 campaign, while promising youngster Sotiris Ninis has been in superb form as well this term.
Cisse sits atop the Super League’s top scorers charts, with 23 goals.
The top scorer of the two previous seasons, AEK’s Ismael Blanco, has only 8 goals.
Olympiakos, AEK, PAOK and Aris will do battle in the play-offs, the system established to determine the second Greek team who will enter the second qualification round of Champions League.
The four sides will play each other home and away in a ‘mini league’ with the winner taking the coveted spot.
At the other end of the table, PAS Ioanina was relegated after going down 3-1 to Ergotelis.
Alsong with Panthrakikos, they will be joined by either Xanthi or Levadiakos who play Iraklis and Larissa respectively. Xanthi is one point ahead of Levadiakos, and a win will secure their Super League status next season.