The stage is set for a huge showdown between Olympiacos and OFI in the Greek Cup Final with the Piraeus giants on one side striving to secure the Double and the Cretans daring to dream of their first major trophy since 1987.
Glory is at stake for both teams in the Final this Sunday, 3am (AEST), at the Olympic Stadium with each side desperate to lift the Cup.
For Olympiacos, the game is their chance to seal the Double (the League and the Cup) which would add the final bow to a most successful season.
It would also be their first Double in five years, having last achieved the feat in the 2019/20 season.
There is no doubt the club would love to earn the win and would rate themselves massive favourites, particularly given their opponent is not one of the established big clubs of Greek football.
The Cretans will certainly give their all and have far more to gain than the “red-whites”.
OFI’s last (and only) major trophy came nearly 40 years ago when they won the Greek Cup in the 1986/87 season, defeating Iraklis on penalties.
The last time they qualified for the Final was in the 1989/90 season where they lost 4-2 to Olympiacos.
The Cretans, thus, have the chance to reverse their fortunes against the same opposition that denied them success 35 years prior.
Another factor that makes the game relevant to the other top clubs is the European qualifying spot that is on the line.
The winner of the Cup earns entry into the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League next season.
Should Olympiacos win, that spot would go to the team that finished third in the league (PAOK) as the “red-whites” have already qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
As a result, the two Conference League spots would shift down one place to include Aris (the team that finished in fifth).
If OFI wins, however, they would gain the Europa League spot and resign PAOK to the Conference League as well as take away Europe from Aris altogether.
The game stands as a moment to be remembered by OFI’s supporters for generations to come, and it is up to the playing group and staff to finish the job and immortalise themselves in the club’s history books.
