The start of the season for Panathinaikos has been anything but smooth. Fans held high hopes, but the team’s performances have been disappointing. This past Sunday, in their third league match, they suffered a shocking 3-2 defeat. The loss came against Kifisia, a team new to Greece’s top football division. It was a tough pill to swallow for everyone connected to the club.
After the final whistle, head coach Rui Vitória did not mince words. He held both himself and his players accountable for the poor showing. Vitória made it clear this wasn’t the kind of football he wants to see from his squad. He emphasized the need for self-reflection and decisive action from everyone involved.
“Today, nothing went right,” the coach stated, as reported by Sport24. “We were too passive. We made too many mistakes. This is not the team I want to see out there. This is not the Panathinaikos we all expect.” He urged his players to consider their commitment. “Everyone needs to think about what they want from their lives. We have to make decisions about what we truly desire.”
Vitória continued his blunt assessment. “With this type of behavior, we won’t achieve anything at all. This game honestly left me feeling very sad. Everyone must take responsibility for this outcome. I am the primary person responsible, above all else.” He noted good training sessions during the international break. “But with this behavior, winning anything will be incredibly difficult,” he concluded.
The team’s domestic league form has been concerning, with just one draw and one loss from their first two matches. This contrasts sharply with their European efforts. Panathinaikos has already secured their spot in the Europa League group stage. Interestingly, they achieved this qualification even before star forward Fotis Ioannidis departed for Sporting. Their performance in Europe has actually pleased Rui Vitória, showing a different side to the team.
“In the Europa League, we’ve shown a different face,” Vitória added. “But we need to win matches in a controlled way. We absolutely have to find a solution. The league continues, and we must recover the points we have already lost.” The coach knows they cannot afford to keep dropping points.
Fans who traveled to the Panthessaliko Stadium, which Kifisia uses as its home ground, did not hide their displeasure. They whistled the entire team after the game, demanding more effort and better results. The club hasn’t won a league title since the 2009/10 season, marking a frustrating 15-year wait. Their patience is clearly wearing thin.
In the match itself, Portuguese midfielder Renato Sanches played the full 90 minutes for Panathinaikos. However, the true hero of the day was another Portuguese player, Hugo Sousa. The 33-year-old central defender scored the winning goal for Kifisia in the second minute of stoppage time (90’+2). Sousa came through FC Porto’s youth system and also played for Sporting B earlier in his career.
This unexpected victory propels Kifisia to sixth place in the Greek Super League, with four points from a possible nine. Meanwhile, Rui Vitória’s Panathinaikos currently sits a worrying 12th place, second-to-last, with just one point from six available. The road ahead looks challenging for the Greens.