All eyes will be focused at the Olympic Stadium this Sunday for the derby of Athens between AEK and Panathinaikos.

The hosts are in good condition and under the management of the Italian coach Massimo Carrera have been known to hold on to their defensive roles well, making it difficult for even the strongest of teams in the league to break them down.

However, the former Juventus gaffer has received criticism for not taking chances and providing his players with an offensive strategy, creating a team that appears comfortable to sit back and defend.

On the other hand, all of the hard work Giorgos Donis and his players at Panathinaikos have been putting in for the last couple of years is finally starting to pay off.

This became apparent in the team’s previous league game against champions PAOK, where the greens dominated the play, not allowing their opponents any space to become a threat.

It’s surely worth mentioning that ever since 6 January and their 1-0 away loss at the hands of Olympiacos, the club has been on a five-win streak and hopes to continue this against AEK.

Their performances have given their fans, who have been away from the stadiums for quite a while now, a good reason to return to the stadium and support their team.

Meanwhile, the battle at the top rages on, with Olympiacos just two points away from PAOK. The red-and-whites will face a difficult challenge at Peristeri where they will meet with the always dangerous Atromitos.

The visitors are still becoming accustomed to the changes made to the squad during the January transfer period with the departure of key players such as Daniel Podence and Migual Angel Guerrero and the arrival of Ahmet Hassan, Cafu and Emre Mor.

Portuguese manager Pedro Martins is hoping to find more solutions form other players such as squad captain Kostas Fortounis who has only recently returned to full training after a ruptured ligament injury that kept him sidelined for over six months, yet is already playing 90-minute games.

Meanwhile PAOK will host an OFI side that is looking to return to form after several failed attempts.

The Cretans will need points if they hope to be within the final six teams to participate in the playoffs at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, at PAOK, manager Abel Ferreira has fallen under scrutiny for the team’s performances during the crucial matches of the season and will want a convincing win to downplay any whispers regarding his replacement.

He will need to do this without one of his key players however, as main central defender Jose Angel Crespo recently underwent a successful surgery on his thigh and will be unavailable for the rest of the season at the very least.

GREEK SUPER LEAGUE ROUND 23 SCHEDULE
Saturday 8 February
7:30 pm Panionios-Xanthi
8:00 pm Lamia-AEL
Sunday 9 February
3:00 pm Asteras Tripolis-Aris
5:15 pm Atromitos-Olympiacos
6:00 pm PAOK-OFI
7:30 pm AEK-Panathinaikos
Monday 10 February
6:00 pm Panetolikos-Volos