What Happened
Olympiacos FC is gearing up for a high-stakes clash against Volos NFC at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium to kick off their Greek Cup campaign. However, the atmosphere surrounding the squad is far from routine.
The match comes on the heels of a frustrating 1–1 stalemate in Matchday 3 of the Super League Greece. More importantly, it marks the team's first outing since losing star forward Ayoub El Kaabi to a severe leg injury.
The Costly Blow of El Kaabi's Injury
During their previous encounter with Volos, Moroccan international Ayoub El Kaabi suffered a horrific collision with goalkeeper Marius Siabanis. The impact resulted in a broken fibula and tibia in his left leg.
Following successful surgery over the weekend, El Kaabi faces an uphill battle with a recovery timeline stretching to at least seven months, with a full return expected after a year on the sidelines. His absence leaves a massive void in the heart of manager Jose Luis Mendilibar’s attack.
The Race for the Starting Spot
With El Kaabi sidelined, Mendilibar must completely rethink his frontline. Young talent Armando 'La Hormiga' Gonzalez is primed to step into a primary role.
However, an unexpected plot twist has revived another contender. Olympiacos has quietly mended fences with Roman Yaremchuk, offering the Ukrainian striker a surprising path to redemption. Yaremchuk is set to take El Kaabi’s spot in the UEFA Europa League squad, creating an open, high-stakes battle between Gonzalez and Yaremchuk for the sole forward position in Mendilibar’s tactical setup.
Squad Adjustments and How to Watch
Mendilibar is also managing player fitness carefully. Stefan Ortega has been left out of the matchday squad, paving the way for Balsa Popovic to potentially start between the posts, while homegrown talent Christos Filis joins the roster. Recent signing Leon Bailey remains sidelined for now to prevent any risk of over-exertion or injury.
For fans tuning in, the Greek Cup showdown kicks off at 9:45 PM local time in Piraeus (11:45 AM PDT / 3:45 PM in Buenos Aires). Viewers in Greece and Cyprus can catch the action live on Skai TV, while supporters across Latin America can watch the match for free via Claro Sports.
