The Greek football league got underway for Panathinaikos this Sunday, but it wasn’t the sparkling start fans hoped for. Under the guidance of Portuguese coach Rui Vitória, the club hosted Levadiakos and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. It’s a tricky way to kick off the domestic campaign after a big week on the European stage.
This particular game, while technically the second fixture of the league calendar, served as Panathinaikos’s first home outing of the season. Their initial match, scheduled against OFI Crete, had been postponed. So, there was extra anticipation for this opening whistle.
The home side began with a bang, seizing an early advantage. Serbian forward Filip Djuricic, a familiar name from his time at Benfica, found the net in just the first minute of play. Panathinaikos managed to hold onto that slim lead for most of the game, keeping their opponents at bay until the 86th minute. Then, against all expectations, Benjamin Verbic scored to equalize, ensuring the points were shared.
Midfield maestro Renato Sanches, another Portuguese talent in the squad, was introduced into the action as a substitute. He came onto the field in the 67th minute. His role was clearly to inject some fresh energy and control into the team’s central area during the second half.
Looking at the early standings, three teams currently boast perfect records with six points each. Olympiacos, AEK, and PAOK have all started strong. Levadiakos, after their draw, sits in fourth place with four points earned.
Panathinaikos, with just one point from their opener, finds themselves in ninth position. This comes right after a significant achievement earlier in the week: they successfully qualified for the group stage of the Europa League. It certainly makes for an interesting balance between European highs and a more grounded domestic league start.