An Athens derby with the feel of a season opener in Rhodes, as Panathinaikos and AEK face off on Friday, September 11, at 8:00 p.m. at the Kallithea Indoor Arena in Rhodes, as part of the 2nd International Tournament Rhodes 2026. Although the game is a friendly, there is still a great deal of interest, as it offers one of the first significant glimpses of both teams’ form ahead of the new season, as well as an opportunity for several of the new signings to make their debuts.
The Athens derby, however, will take place with several key players missing from both sides. The “Clover” will be without the injured Kendrick Nan, Nikos Rogavopoulos, Nigel Hayes-Davis, Kostas Sloukas, Giannis Kouzeloglou, and Moustafa Fall, while Enosis will be without Landers Noley, Dimitris Flionis, Derrick Williams, Greg Brown, and KiSon Fizel.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
These absences deprive the game of several key players from both rosters, but at the same time, they create more opportunities for the available players, who will have the chance to get increased playing time and vie for a bigger role ahead of the new season.
For Panathinaikos, the game is a prime opportunity to get a first look at the new team under the guidance of Zeljko Obradović, as well as for the new signings—such as Silven Francisco, Branko Badio, Isaac Bonga, and Gerson Yabusele—to get playing time. On the other hand, Dragan Sakota’s AEK wants to showcase elements of its own playing identity early on and demonstrate that it has high aspirations for the new season, both in Greece and in Europe.
The game will take place at 8:00 p.m.
*photo source: KYPE
