Hellas futebol

[Festivus]

Faliro, what would you consider to be the most similar and the least similar European countries to Greece?

Personally, I'm gonna go on a wild guess and say Russia or Belarus are the least similar ones to Portugal. Or Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan if you wanna count those as European. As for counties I've actually visited, well I've never been east of Germany and Austria, and the furthest one I've been to was Sweden. So I'm gonna say one of the Scandinavian countries, or maybe them in general. Not completely alien but clearly there were some key differences, as you can imagine.

Most similar ones is easy. We only border one nation, which is Spain, so there ya go. France and Italy also have some similarities with us, but overall seem more foreign.

[Faliro]

Faliro, what would you consider to be the most similar and the least similar European countries to Greece?

Personally, I'm gonna go on a wild guess and say Russia or Belarus are the least similar ones to Portugal. Or Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan if you wanna count those as European. As for counties I've actually visited, well I've never been east of Germany and Austria, and the furthest one I've been to was Sweden. So I'm gonna say one of the Scandinavian countries, or maybe them in general. Not completely alien but clearly there were some key differences, as you can imagine.

Most similar ones is easy. We only border one nation, which is Spain, so there ya go. France and Italy also have some similarities with us, but overall seem more foreign.

Greece is fairly unique actually. Some towns in Southern Italy closely resemble a few Greek ones, but there are usually instant give-aways that it is not Greece. Most different to Greece? Turkey, slav nations, northern european nations etc. Most similar? Because of the people, no place is really that similar. Parts could pass in Spain, Southern Italy etc visually to an extent but not too much.. but the people and food dont really have an equal. That doesn't mean Greeks are not fond of other nations. For example Greeks really like serbs and russians and to some extent Armenians, Georgians and some christian arabs etc. But for actual similarities - Greece is a bit on its on own. You know the minute you are there that it is not any of its neighbours. The vibe, the language - the Greek alphabet plastered everywhere, the food, the villagers, the atmosphere and scenery etc., Greece is fairly unique.

Around 5 Benfiquistas on here have PMed over the years asking where to go and stay in Greece. They all enjoyed their time there and want to go back. Would be interesting to see what they think in regards to differences between Greece and Portugal in particular.

[Covenant]

[Faliro]

Weird guy...

In other news, head of the EPO refereeing - Vítor Manuel Melo Pereira, has appointed the referee for AEK vs PAOK. He will be Michael Tykgaard.

[Calcio]

ARIS 

[Faliro]

ARIS 

Could have beaten PAOK yesterday with more luck.. Def in Europe as PAO are in free-fall.
They play with big passion and have the fans to back them. They dont want PAOK to get to 3 championships titles - which is what Aris are on.  Aris dont actually have a bad team either - they always build teams around attack. Greek football suffered when they were relegated those years back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_I-HSP_CWA

[Calcio]

Aris needs some backing to compete even further. That and a Director of Football / coach from a certain iberian country... 






Is that shit league system going further?

[Faliro]

Aris needs some backing to compete even further. That and a Director of Football / coach from a certain iberian country... 






Is that shit league system going further?

Sadly yes. Everything the Communists touch dissolves. They just gave away 'Macedonian identity' and now are working out how to destroy what little is left of greek football. This season 4 teams will be relegated.. The aim to is end up with a mini league of 6 teams.. 

As for Aris, I agree. They need an owner richer than Karipidis.They also need to upgrade the rest of their stadium. The main centre stand is new the but the rest is bits and pieces added over the years and should be unified properly. The stadium is currently 22,800 seats. With a proper redesign I think it could be nearer 30k. They could easily double tier around most the stadium - copying the model from the main new stand.

[Faliro]

Upper tier developing fast now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq90z_tciIk

June the first parts of the roof will arrive from Italy.

[Covenant]

PAOK will win this easily.

Any updates in Panathinaikos situation? New owner or New stadium?

[Faliro]

 

PAOK will win this easily.

Any updates in Panathinaikos situation? New owner or New stadium?

Yes, PAOK will win this season. 

As for PAO, their idiot owner Alafouzos is making no effort to sell the club.  The weird Thai deal died. Another idiot, Giannakopolous, an egoist who owns PAO BC, the very successful basketball  division of PAO, he is still pushing his plan to move panathinaikos Football Club to the Olympic Stadium. His plans include the Olympic Stadium site being rebuilt in its totality with a new 40,000 seater stadium for Panathinaikos Football Club. He is currently lobbying the deal with the Trotskyist Greek government, a deal which is in reality a massive property deal involving state owned land and nothing more.

Here is AEK's stadium yesterday:

[Covenant]

When AEW stadium will be ready?

Thanks for the information my friend.

[Faliro]

When AEW stadium will be ready?

Thanks for the information my friend.

In reality the stadium should be ready December. In the greek reality (communism, heavy bureaucracy, strikes etc) the head of the project said it will be ready for the 2020/2021 season even though most of the thing including stands and roof will be completed this summer..

In the next few months the stadium will be sealed and the stadium's roof will be added. It is being made in Italy.

The head of the project stated due to ticket sales they decided on a 32,000 seater. Therefore many AEK fans will now have to watch games from home as they sell over 40k tickets currently for derbies and european games. Seems everyone is reducing capacities these days. I read yesterday the new San Siro will be reduced to 60k from 80k.

[Faliro]

Panathinaikos - to avoid the -3 punishment for not finishing the game - are going to claim it was the German ref's fault for stopping the game on the 70th minute due to the pitch invasion!! 

The other -3 for firebombing police outside the stadium is indefensible as there is plenty of video evidence.

So if all goes to plan and the correct judgements are given - PAO will receive -6 points which will put them on 26 points. This will put them in the relegation battle and hopefully they go down.



It should be noted they began the season with -6 too. So all in all - they would have received -12 this season for illegalities.

[Calcio]

ARIS making the push for the last Europa spot is very nice to see. Hopefully they get there and upgrade their aging squad.