Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Cukaricki vs. Olympiacos - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 29 August 2023, 17:08
A week on from their first-leg success in Greece, Olympiacos will be looking to finish the job in Serbia against Cukaricki in the return fixture of their Europa League playoff tie on Thursday.

The Red-Whites head to the Gradski Stadion Dubocica with a two-goal advantage after securing a 3-1 victory in their first encounter in Athens.

Match preview

Cukaricki's hopes of qualifying for the Europa League group stage for the very first time are hanging by a thread following their first-leg defeat to Olympiacos.

The Greek giants raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening 40 minutes courtesy of strikes from Ayoub El-Kaabi (2) and Kostas Fortounis, but substitute Igor Miladinovic pulled one back for Cukaricki in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to provide them with a glimmer of hope for Thursday's second leg.

Milan Lesnjak's men have since extended their unwanted winless run in all competitions to four matches after playing out a goalless draw at home against Radnik Surdulica last Sunday.

Cukaricki endured a disappointing afternoon in front of goal, registering just one of their 17 shots on target, and they have subsequently slipped down fifth in the Serbian SuperLiga standings and sit five points behind leaders Backa Topola, albeit after only five matches.

Despite sharing the spoils with Radnik Surdulica, Cukaricki are now unbeaten in 15 home games across all tournaments since the turn of the year. However, four of their last five home matches have ended as draws, and they can ill-afford to play out another on Thursday if they wish to overturn their two-goal deficit against Olympiacos.

Coming out on top against an in-form Olympiacos outfit will be a tall order for Cukaricki, considering that their Greek counterparts have won four and drawn one of their opening five fixtures across all competitions in the new campaign.

After beating Belgian side Gent 2-1 on aggregate in the Europa League third qualifying round earlier this month, the Red-Whites have since won three successive home games, with their 3-1 success over Cukaricki sandwiched between 2-0 and 4-0 wins against Panserraikos and Atromitos respectively in the Greek Super League.

Giorgos Masouras (2), Mady Camara and Quini were all on the scoresheet to help Olympiacos claim a dominant victory against Atromitos on Sunday and move to the summit of the Super League table.

Manager Diego Martinez has hailed his side's bright start to the new season, but has highlighted the need for his squad to build chemistry having seen 13 new players join the club so far this summer.

Seeking to qualify for the Europa League group stage for a second successive season, Olympiacos head to Serbia having won only one of their last five competitive away matches in all competitions, including a 1-1 draw with Gent earlier this month, but a draw on Thursday would be enough to see them progress from the playoff round.

Cukaricki Europa League form:

L

Cukaricki form (all competitions):

Olympiacos Europa League form:

W

D

W

Olympiacos form (all competitions):

Advert - content below:

Team News

Cukaricki midfielder Vukasin Jovanovic joined the club from Apollon Limassol earlier this summer, but he is yet to make his debut due to a ligament injury and is set to remain sidelined until October.

Should Lesnjak decide to revert to a back three on Thursday, Nemanja Tosic will likely push up to left wing-back and Viktor Rogan could start on the opposite flank at the expense of Miladin Stevanovic, who could move to centre-back alongside Uros Drezgic and Luka Subotic.

Jose Mario Gomes could lose his starting place up front to Ibrahima N'Diaye, who may be joined in attack by either Djordje Ivanovic or Stefan Tomovic.

As for Olympiacos, right-back Rodinei missed the first leg due to suspension, but he is available for selection on Thursday and could start at the expense of Marios Vrousai.

The Red-Whites have recently bolstered their options at left-back with the arrivals of Francisco Ortega and Omar Richards - the former joining permanently from Velez Sarsfield and the latter signing on loan from Nottingham Forest - and the pair are set to battle for a starting place with Quini.

Vicente Iborra was not involved in the matchday squad against Atromitos, but he should be in contention to start in centre-midfield on Thursday alongside Mady Camara, while one of Gustavo Scarpa or Pep Biel is set to start in the number 10 role behind El Kaabi.

Cukaricki possible starting lineup:

Filipovic; Stevanovic, Drezgic, Subotic; Rogan, Stankovic; Sissoko, Docic, Tosic; Ivanovic, N'Diaye

Olympiacos possible starting lineup:

Paschalakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Freire, Quini; Camara, Iborra; Masouras, Biel, Fortounis; El Kaabi

We say: Cukaricki 1-3 Olympiacos (Olympiacos to win 6-2 on aggregate)

Olympiacos enter Thursday's second leg in buoyant mood after making a strong start to the new campaign, and they will be regarded as firm favourites to win this playoff tie on aggregate.

Cukaricki need to make improvements in the final third if they are to have any chance of pulling off a remarkable comeback, but we believe that their Greek counterparts will have too much quality on the night and they should win comfortably in Serbia.

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Following four straight defeats leading into the international break, Aston Villa will return to action on Saturday, when Crystal Palace pay a visit to Villa Park. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly set a £100m asking price for Enzo Fernandez amid interest from Real Madrid. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League action will return to the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium this weekend when Al Khaleej play host to the defending champions Al-Hilal on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it five straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign against Alaves at Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Robert Lewandowski is a mesmerising goal scorer, but it turns out that's not his only talent. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace may be without two of their key creators when they kick off on Saturday afternoon, as an ailing Premier League campaign resumes away to Aston Villa.