Olympiacos: The 10-game unbeaten streak and the big test against PAOK
Olympiacos may not have managed to leave France with a "double", but the 0-0 draw against Rennes confirmed the stability they have shown recently.
Olympiacos may not have managed to leave France with a "double" from France, but the 0-0 draw against Rennes confirmed the stability they have shown recently. The "red and whites" remain undefeated for ten consecutive games in Greece and Europe, with a record of nine wins and one draw.
The winning streak stopped in Brittany, but Imanol Alguacil's team maintained their positive momentum and is now focusing on the big derby against PAOK.
Ten games without a loss
Olympiacos' last defeat was recorded on September 13, when OFI won 1-0 at "G. Karaiskakis". Since then, the Piraeus team has completely changed their playing image and created an impressive streak in three different competitions.
In the championship, they successively defeated Levadiakos (0-1), Panathinaikos (1-0), Panetolikos (0-2), Kalamata (5-0) and Kifisia (2-3). At the same time, they beat Marko 2-0 in the Greek Cup.
Their course is equally impressive in the Europa League. Olympiacos started with a comeback against Jagiellonia (2-1), won in Marseille against Marseille (0-1), overcame the obstacle of Sparta Prague (1-0) and maintained their unbeaten record with a 0-0 draw against Rennes.
The numbers that reflect stability
In the ten games of their unbeaten streak, Olympiacos has scored 18 goals and conceded only three. Even more impressive is the fact that they kept a clean sheet in eight of these matches.
Defensive consistency is the basis of improvement, without this meaning that the "red and whites" depend exclusively on a specific game plan. Alguacil has opened up the rotation, given more playing time to more players and managed to keep the team competitive within a particularly demanding schedule.
At the same time, Olympiacos shows greater patience in their development and more intensity without the ball. Even when they don't reach the desired performance levels, they find a way to get a result.
Undefeated and on track for the top eight in Europe
After the first four matchdays of the Europa League League Phase, Olympiacos has collected ten points and remains undefeated. The three wins and the draw in France keep them on track for the top eight and direct qualification to the round of 16.
The 0-0 draw with Rennes left a slight bitterness, as the Piraeus team created the conditions to leave with another victory. Nevertheless, the point in a demanding European away game keeps the team in an advantageous position for the continuation.
Big test against PAOK
The focus now turns to Sunday's derby (8/11, 21:00) against PAOK at "G. Karaiskakis", for the 10th matchday of the Stoiximan Super League. This is the last match before the international break and a game of particular importance for the standings.
Olympiacos is in second place with 22 points, two behind leaders Panathinaikos. PAOK follows in third place with 18, so the "red and whites" have the opportunity with a win to move seven points clear of the "Double-headed Eagle of the North" and continue to pressure for the top spot.
PAOK goes to Faliro after the difficult 2-1 win over Asteras Tripolis and will seek to reduce the distance between them. For Olympiacos, the derby is the most important test of their unbeaten streak, but also an opportunity to confirm that their playing stability can be turned into a significant advantage in the title race.