Olympiacos vs Bodø/Glimt: Perseverance, Persistence, and Yaremchuk Key to Reaching the Europa League Quarterfinals

Tonight, Olympiacos faces Bodø/Glimt (19:45, Newsit.gr, Cosmote Sport 4 HD) at a packed “G. Karaiskakis” stadium, searching for a crucial victory that will propel them into the quarterfinals of the Europa League. The Norwegian champions are aiming for an extraordinary comeback to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in their history. The Conference League holders, led by last year’s dramatic return against Maccabi Tel Aviv, are on the road to securing their historic European title. In this battle, José Luis Mendilibar won’t have Ayoub El Kaabi, who was not included in the ‘red-and-white’ squad for the game against the Norwegians. Meanwhile, Dani García has returned to Váscou’s disposal, while Bambis Kostoulas remains excluded. This means Olympiacos will rely on Roman Yaremchuk to lead the attack after missing some classic scoring opportunities in the first match. It is worth noting that Giorgos Masouras has gone on loan to Bochum. Everyone at Olympiacos knows that such matches require patience, persistence, and mental fortitude. Olympiacos aims to replicate their performance against Maccabi Tel Aviv last March and hopes for a favorable outcome with the help of their fans. A win – and securing this season’s Super League title – will ensure Olympiacos’ participation in the Champions League group stage unless Dortmund or Aston Villa wins this year’s top-tier club competition. Tactical decisions remain unclear in certain positions. If García is at 100% to start, he will play alongside Esse. Otherwise, Tsikinio will move back, and Orta will play in the ‘10’ position. There might also be a change in the left-back role. The team advancing from these matches between Olympiacos and Bodø/Glimt will face the winner of the Lazio vs Viktoria Plzeň pair (Lazio leads 2-1 from the Czech Republic). Possible lineups include: Olympiacos (José Luis Mendilibar): Tzolakis – Kostinia, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega – Esse, Tsikinio – Rondein, Orta, Jelson – Yaremchuk. Bodø/Glimt (Kjetil Knutsen): Haikin – Sievold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan – Berg, Saltne, Even – Blomberg, Hog, Hauge. Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany), Assistants: Robert Kemper (Germany), Christian Ditz (Germany), VAR: Sören Storks (Germany), Robert Syrder (Germany).