Olympiacos kicks off a new chapter in European competition tonight (September 16 – 10:00 p.m.), hosting Jagiellonia for the first match of the Europa League group stage. The “Red-and-Whites” are looking to get off to a strong start in the competition and, at the same time, build on a special tradition they’ve established in their home openers in European competitions.
From the 1997–98 season through last year, Olympiacos has played 20 home games in the opener of the group stage of a European competition, whether at the OAKA and Rizoupoli or, since their return in the 2004–05 season, at the “G. Karaiskakis” Stadium. The record in these matches stands at six wins, five draws, and nine losses, with Jagiellonia now becoming the 21st opponent on such an evening.
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This journey began with a 1-0 victory over Porto in the 1997–98 season, followed by some of Olympiacos’ most memorable European nights. The 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in 1999, the impressive 6-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, as well as the 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid in 2014 are among the opening matches that have remained etched in the memories of the team’s fans. The victory over Bayer Leverkusen also remains the biggest win for the Piraeus club in a home European opener.
On the other hand, there have also been difficult nights. Paris Saint-Germain won 4-1 in Piraeus in 2013, Bayern Munich won 3-0 two years later, while opening-match losses have come against, among others, Rosenborg, Valencia, Marseille, Schalke, Sporting, and Freiburg. Last season, Olympiacos began its Champions League group stage campaign with a 0-0 draw against Pafos.
Tonight’s match, however, has yet another special historical significance. Olympiacos is facing a team from Poland for the first time since the 1987–88 season, when it took on Górnik Zabrze in the European Cup. That two-leg series ended with a 1-1 draw in Greece and a 2-1 loss in Poland, with Górnik advancing to the next round.
The Red-and-Whites’ first encounter with Polish soccer had taken place much earlier, during the 1963–64 season, in the Cup Winners’ Cup against Zagłębie Sosnowiec. Olympiacos won 2-1 in Piraeus, lost 1-0 in Poland, and, since the away goals rule did not exist at the time, a third match was needed in Vienna. There, they won 2-0 and advanced. This was followed in the 1969–70 season by a match against Górnik Zabrze, which ended in a 2–2 draw in Piraeus and a 5–0 victory for the Poles in the rematch.
Overall, heading into tonight’s match, Olympiacos has a record of two wins, two draws, and three losses against teams from Poland. The most interesting statistic, however, comes from their home games: in three matches, they have never lost, with one win and two draws.
*photo source: KYPE
