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In the same play, the friends of Olympiacos found spectators within days. Pedro Martins’ team after their 2-0 defeat at Porto’s Dragao, lost with a clear and even heavier score (3-0) from City in Manchester. The image of the ‘rojiblancos’ was passive throughout the first half, as long as the hosts did what they wanted. They improved somewhat on replay and claimed the draw while the match was at a fragile 1-0, but when they pushed and missed a few chances, they conceded two more goals in the final 10 minutes and walked off the field with their heads down.
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These are the five things that characterized the game:
1. BAD START, ZERO INITIATIVE
With the expected lineup, from the moment Bouhalakis declared availability, Pedro Martins led his team. He hit 4-3-3 with three central midfielders (Embila and Kamara flanking the Cretan leader), putting Rangelovic and Valbuena on the brink of attack behind El Arabi. Pep Guardiola, for his part, did not speak the truth in the days before, saying that he will make changes for Liverpool, as he essentially lined up a full line-up, with all his stars on stage.
The encouragement of the Spanish coach for his team to come in strong and “clean” the game as soon as possible, was also reflected in the gas that his players pressed with “good night.” The locals also took advantage of the passive approach of the ‘rojiblancos’, who left the ball and waited behind the crossbar, so they dominated completely. With zero ball circulation, no clear mind, and no mistakes, it was only a matter of time before the “blues” took the lead.
2. EASY 1-0 AND SOVEREIGNTY
We knew which team was the favorite before the start of the match. What no one expected from Olympiacos was such a slow start. A start that allowed Pep’s players to settle in José Sa’s house, threaten one, two, three in the first 10 minutes and finally find the goal just in the 12th minute after a beautiful collaboration between Ferran Torres and De Bruine. The Spanish midfielder found himself in front of the Portuguese goalkeeper and did not leave the opportunity unused.
It was a consequence not only of the intense pressure from the hosts, but also of the absence of the “rojiblancos”, who were limited to the role of accomplice. With difficulty they managed to cross the midfield with the ball. Possession of the ball shortly after scoring the goal reached 76% for City. The home team’s wave attacks continued, but a second goal did not come during the intense pressure. With the passage of time, the ‘rojiblancos’ tried to go out, press better and enter stronger in personal duels, a fact that allowed them to breathe and recover a few meters towards the rival area.
3. CHANGES AND ORDER TO UNDERSTAND
The game “screamed” from the start that if you don’t do anything right, you’ll just suffer. It is a fact that the “rojiblancos” were not only far from their good selves, they did not even enter the process, not even with a foul, to break the occupation and the pressure exerted by the hosts. Standing in front of City at the Etihad is not an easy task, but standing tall is a prerequisite. Again, it is good that both teams went to rest with the score at 1-0, while the final was at 11-0. During this period, in fact, José Sa had to perform 6 surgeries, indicative of the image of the first semester. You didn’t have to be a coach to understand that intervention from the bench was necessary and imperative.
Pedro Martins lifted Pepe and Bruma from their bench to launch them onto the field from 46 ‘, the first in place of Bouhalakis and the second in place of Radzelovic, to give the team a little speed. At the same time, he instructed his players to come out of their shell, take action towards attack, and push much higher, compared to the first part. It is a fact that the entry of Olympiacos in the second half had nothing to do with the first. The “rojiblancos” left in the dressing room the cloak of a group of phobics and lazy people.
They came out with more audacity, held the ball, got discouraged, tried to take initiatives, reach the rival area. Occupancy rates rose to 55-45% until the middle of the second semester, while managing to threaten Valbouena, El Arabi and Bruma on three occasions. Especially the opportunity of the Frenchman who took advantage of Anderson’s mistake, almost brought the tie to 54 ‘.
4. BALANCE AND RODEO
During the time he promoted to Olympiakos, City did not stop being aggressive. However, Guardiola’s players also went into a process to monitor their ears. Do not attack with 6-7 players as in the first part, but only with the necessary ones, so as not to be exposed from behind.
All the efforts they made towards the house found Cerberus Sa ready, who was by far the best for the Greek champions. Approaching the last fifteen minutes, the ‘rojiblancos’ chased the tie with a crossed knife from Cholebas in the 74th minute, while five minutes later, Brouma was slow to shoot from a very favorable position and was cut off in a corner. Somewhere there, however, a personal action by Jesούςs, who had passed a bit earlier as a substitute, made it 2-0 from a very lateral position, sending the ball into the sky from Sa’s nets without being able to react.
5. TWO GOALS IN TEN MINUTES
This goal in the 81st minute essentially ended the game as it severed the legs of the Piraeus team as they attempted the final counterattack to close out the game. At that moment, Pedro Martins had thrown Hassan and Masoura onto the pitch, to refresh the attack, while after the 2-0 Sundani entered, without, however, managing to make their presence felt. Finally, in the 90 ‘came Cancello’s 3-0, with a false shot from the top of the area, when everything had been judged and any resistance from Olympiacos had been doubled.
Stadium: Manchester City Stadium
Referee: Carlos del Thero Grande (Spain)
Goal scorer: 12 ‘Ferran Torres, 81’ Zezous, 90 ‘Cancello
CITY: Anderson, Walker (82 ‘Cancello), Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Guidogan, Ferran Torres, De Bruyne (85’ Enmetza), Fontaine (69 ‘Rodri), Mahrez (69’ Zezus), Sterling (82 ‘Sell).
OLYMPIC: Sa, Rafinia, Semedo, Cisse, Cholebas, Embila, Kamara (73 ‘Masouras), Bouhalakis (46’ Pepe), Valbuena (85 ‘Sudani), Rantzelovic (46’ Bruma), Arabi (76 ‘Hassan).
MARKER
1. Manchester City 9 (9-1)
2. Porto 6 (6-3)
3. Olympiacos 3 (1-5)
4. Marseille 0 (0-7)
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