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Against a team determined to finish qualifying for the next phase, Olympiakos was unsuccessful due to many problems. They submitted fairly to City who created 21 final attempts and allowed the hosts to create just two (with Fortuni and Cisse) in the final 5 minutes.
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The ‘rojiblancos’ may have justified the complaints about the foul committed to Dreger by Gidogan at the beginning of the 0-1 phase (36′), but his general image, mainly in the offensive part and without a clear net, was not capable of stopping an ensemble that has learned to play at other speeds with an obvious difference in quality and world-class stars.
These are the five things that characterized the great struggle in “G. Karaiskakis”:
1. WITH 3-4-3 AND ARCO ON THE LEFT
Despite the important absences, Pedro Martins kept a surprise in the Olympiacos squad. As he had shown during the last training session, he lined up his team with three centrals and a 3-4-3 formation, however, on the axis, he preferred Pepe over Bouchalakis for the position alongside Embilas. In this way, he wanted to put fresh feet in midfield four days after the derby with Panathinaikos, but also a lighter midfielder who can move faster in the low meters. Against Guardiola’s classic 4-3-3, Kamara took the position of left midfielder, Masouras respectively on the right and -leader- Fortounis at the top of the attack.
The guests, as usual, tried to come in with force, hold the ball and push in each claim, with Olympiakos placed in the middle of the field with short distances between lines and a clear disposition to play against. The plugs were placed with Ba on the right, Semedo in the center, and Cisse on the left, with Rafinias close to him, as Dreger walked down the opposite corridor. Until minute 15, the ‘rojiblancos’ were in a passive role as in the first game. By this time, the Citizens had reached Final 7, an indication of their superiority. Every time the ‘rojiblancos’ became owners of the ball, the City players with direct overlaps and rapid transition did not let them breathe. On the second or third “red” pass, the ball returned to the “blue” feet.
2. INTERNAL SHIFT AND 0-1
In the blocking part and as many times as the guests had to build from behind, Olympiacos’ order was 4-4-2 with Masouras doubling Fortounis. Shortly before minute 25, Pedro Martins, seeing the big problem, proceeded to an internal change that “screamed” from the beginning. He led the -much more active- Kamaras to the axis and ordered Pepe to move to the left, as he did. From that moment on, the “red and white” machine began to function more rationally and the ball circulated at more tolerable levels.
With 30 minutes to go, Jesσs maneuvered into the box under pressure from Ba, but Sa was present, the clearest opportunity for City so far. Every time City crossed the midfield, the hosts waited 4-5-1. This, however, did not last long enough in the 36 ‘phase when it was 0-1. In a quick attack from the left, with Dreger on his feet and rightly protesting Gidogan’s foul, Sterling found himself in the area of Jeso’s pass, fed Foden with a heel, and hit Jose Sa with a shot in movement. . As soon as Olympiakos stepped on the field better, a drop by City was enough to open the scoring, with justified, however, the complaints of the ‘rojiblancos’ about their start and the lack that was not whistled to the Tunisian back.
3. BRAVERER THAN 46 ‘
The risk was high for Olympiacos to leave with a trio in defense, the only system that has not been worked on for 2.5 years, but with so many absences, hands were tied. The three blocks seemed quite disconnected not so much in the defense phase, but above all in getting the ball and passing correctly between the lines to start the attack. Especially against an opponent who was pressing hard, the job was very difficult. However, with the start of the second half, the locals decided to play everything for everything and came out with more momentum on the field. They tried to take measures towards the attack, the defense was higher, since only then the “rojiblancos” could ask for something from the game. When playing with fire there is of course the risk of getting burned, as happened in the 50 ‘phase, with Gidogan shooting inappropriately from a very favorable position.
4. HIGH TURNS AND EVERYTHING FOR EVERYTHING
From the first minute of the second half, the game turned into a detour. The Olympiacos players had nothing to lose and left the locker room wanting to play for everything. The pace picked up against a team that is used to playing at high speed, while there was another internal change. Pepe changed position for the third time and went from left to right, in a reciprocal movement with Masoura. City continued in the driving position, but their players definitely felt the hottest home team’s breath on every claim. What was lacking, however, was the final effort, since at the end of 65 minutes, the finals were 19 for the English team (10 at home) and none for the “rojiblancos”. In the 66th minute, it was time for Mario Brusai to replace Dreger on the right wing.
5. BOUCHALAKIS AND RODEO
Martins’ second play was to bring Bouhalakis to the field in the 70th minute instead of Pepe who appeared only in some contacts with the ball, while Guardiola responded with Fernandinho, Mahrez and a little later Agüero, while there he entered the field . and Sudani instead of Masura (77 ‘). In search of a (and good) opportunity for the “golden” degree, the hosts did not leave it, while the guests touched the second goal, but did not achieve it. Without exaggeration, there was not a single time in the entire match that an Olympiacos player took the ball and at least two opponents did not land on him. Sundani’s presence gave an extra move and 2-3 fouls won, but so far. The Piraeus team managed to create two chances until the end with Fortounis and Cisse who played at the end as a forward, but nothing more.
Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium
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OLYMPIAKOS (Pedro Martins): Sa, Semedo, Ba, Cisse, Dreger (66 ‘Vrousai), Rafinia, Pepe (71’ Bouhalakis), Embila, Kamara, Masouras (78 ‘Sundani), Fortounis.
CITY OF MANCHESTER (Pep Guardiola): Anderson, Ruben Dias, Stones, Medi (78 ‘Zinchenko), Cancello, Guidogan (86’ Doyle), Bernardo Silva, Rodri (76 ‘Fernandinho), Fontaine, Sterling (76’ Mahrezo), Zez.
Yellow: 39 ‘Rafinha – 39’ Sterling, 54 ‘Days, 86’ Gidogan
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
Assistants: Filippo Meli, Stefano Alassio (Italy)
Fourth: Paolo Valeri (Italy)
WHERE: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
AVAR: Alberto Tegoni
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