Boys in Green face Greece tomorrow at the imposing home of Olympiacos, a club at the heart of local community.
David Sneyd reports from Piraeus THE GRAFFITI ON the walls says a lot of things but “we’re magic” does not appear to be one of them outside the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium.
In this corner of Piraeus, where the Republic of Ireland will face Greece in the Nations League tomorrow, Olympiacos are entrenched in the community. And yet, snaking around the stadium are examples of how the stadium is not just a standalone 33,000 monument for football and owner Evangelos Marinakis’s ego – even if a large photo of him cradling and kissing the Conference League trophy hangs proudly.
Yeah, so this is not the kind of welcome away fans get in Ballsbridge when they stroll past Roly’s or along the Grand Canal. “I really don’t care if we are easy to analyse if we are difficult to play against. I said that about Finland. Finland is a pretty easy team to analyse, they are consistent in what they are doing, they are just good at it and that is why they are difficult to play against and I want us to be, I would like us to be a team like that, that people hate to play against,” the manager said.
As you would expect after Thursday’s 2-1 win over Finland the mood was relaxed and good natured. Robbie Brady scored the winner in Helsinki and posed for some snaps in a pair of shades before skipping onto the pitch to join his teammates – some of whom found shelter in the shade.The heat won’t be the same come kick-off at 9.45pm local time tomorrow but here will be no hiding place in front of a passionate crowd that will also pay an emotional tribute to the late George Baldock.
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