At OPAP Arena, AEK hosts Lamia. AEK is 2 points behind the top spot, held by PAOK, and needs a win against Lamia combined with a loss or draw by PAOK to be crowned champions again this year.
With an AEK win and a PAOK draw, AEK will be first due to head-to-head results. With an AEK win and a PAOK loss, AEK will be first with a +1 point lead.
AEK never announces their squad before their matches. There have been no new absences for Matías Almeyda aside from the known absence of Fernandes. Rota has served his suspension and returns. Similarly, Lamia does not announce their squad before their matches, with Leonidas Vokolos unable to count on the services of Amaral, who is suspended.
Aris, considered “indifferent” in terms of their standings, is the team that has not only remained unbeaten against PAOK this season (with 2 wins and 1 draw in three matches, and a goal difference of 3-1), but also the team that has caused three changes at the top of the standings with their results against the Big-4 (Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, AEK, PAOK) and has effectively knocked Olympiacos and Panathinaikos out of the title race.
At the beginning of the second round, Aris defeated Panathinaikos 2-0 and brought PAOK to the top, during the last matchday of the regular season with a home draw against AEK (3-3).
105 years since the Pontian Greek Genocide (disturbing photos)
In the play-off opener, Aris won 1-0 against PAOK at Toumba, allowing AEK to overtake them.
Additionally, in the play-offs, Aris secured a 1-1 draw against Olympiacos in Thessaloniki and won 1-0 against Panathinaikos at Leoforos.
Both Olympiacos and Panathinaikos are not competing for the title but for 3rd place, which leads to European competition. After 35 matches, Olympiacos is 2 points ahead of their eternal rival.
Given the current situation, there is a possibility that one of the two teams might miss out on European competition for the 2024-25 season.
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