Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland go head-to-head with Greece in Athens on Friday evening in a fixture which could prove key to the Euro 2024 qualification hopes of both nations.
Ireland narrowly lost their opening Group B fixture to beaten World Cup finalists France in March three days after the Greeks cruised to a 3-0 win over minnows Gibraltar, and victory at the OPAP Arena could prove vital for either side.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at Greece and the threat they may pose.
Form
Greece headed into the campaign on a high after topping Nations League Group C2 with 15 points from a possible 18. They beat Northern Ireland and Kosovo home and away and Cyprus in Volos before the Cypriots gained revenge in Larnaca, and finished six points better off than the Kosovans in second place to secure a place in the Euro 2024 play-offs. They have won only one of the four games they have played since – their opening qualifier against Gibraltar – drawing friendlies with Malta and Lithuania either side of a 2-1 defeat in Hungary.
Manager
Gus Poyet was appointed as national team boss in February 2022 having earlier had a seven-month spell in charge at club side AEK Athens. The 55-year-old Uruguayan established himself as a household name during his playing days as a goalscoring midfielder, principally with River Plate, Real Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham, before making the move into management with Brighton and Sunderland, who he guided to Premier League safety and the Capital One Cup final in 2014, AEK, Real Betis, Shanghai Shenhua, Bordeaux and Universidad Catolica in Chile.
Players
Poyet’s squad includes several familiar names with Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas and John Egan’s Sheffield United team-mate George Baldock – who qualifies for Greece through his grandmother – among its ranks. Free-scoring former Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, now at Atlanta United, is also at Poyet’s disposal, but it is perhaps Trabzonspor midfielder Tasos Bakasetas upon whom Ireland will need to keep a close eye. Six of Bakasetas’ 18 goals to date this season have come on the international stage, four of them in competitive games.
Pedigree
Greece are currently ranked 52nd by FIFA, three places below the Republic, but have appeared as high as eighth in the list. They famously won the Euros in 2004, when they shocked the continent’s super-powers under German Otto Rehhagel, and made it to the quarter-finals at Euro 2012. They have qualified for the World Cup finals on three occasions – 1994, 2010 and 2014 – and reached the last 16 in Brazil.
Ricketts congratulates 'Bunny' Shaw on FWA Women's Player of the Year award
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts saluted Reggae Girl and Manchester City striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw on her latest accomplishment of being voted the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
Shaw won the women’s Footballer of the Year award with 80 per cent of the voters opting for either the Manchester City striker or Chelsea’s Lauren James. James finished runner-up with another Manchester City standout Alex Greenwood finishing third. Yui Hasegawa, Elisabeth Terland and Khiara Keating completed the top six.
In a release on Friday, Ricketts pointed out that the award spoke volumes of Shaw's impact on Manchester City's Women's Super League charge, as she has been a model of consistency since joining the Gareth Taylor-coached club in 2021. Her performances have placed Manchester City on the brink of securing their first WSL title since 2016.
“This award is a beautiful feather in her cap and a massive advertisement for Jamaica’s football,” Ricketts said.
“I am happy to see the consistency in quality shown by Khadija. She has always been a top player, but her standard has risen a notch this season. This augurs well for the national team in the future. We wish her all the best on the road to recovery,” he added.
Prior to Shaw sustaining a broken foot during her last Women’s Super League match against West Ham, the Reggae Girls captain scored 21 goals, which were complemented by three assists in 18 games this season.
Shaw is the third Jamaican-born individual to have won the award after John Barnes (1987-88, 1989-90) and Raheem Sterling in 2019.
However, she is the first national representative to receive the honour, as both Barnes and Sterling were England internationals when they earned the recognition.
'It's football hunger' – Moyes intent on West Ham stay as Lopetegui speculation swirls
David Moyes insisted there remains a "football hunger" to carry West Ham forward as speculation persists over the Hammers moving for Julen Lopetegui.
Widespread reports suggest West Ham have been in contact with Lopetegui, who left Wolves ahead of the 2023-24 campaign after just eight months in charge.
Yet Moyes reiterated his commitment to West Ham as the Scotsman aims for another top-10 Premier League finish, with the Hammers ninth in the table heading into the weekend's action.
"Absolutely, it's football hunger," Moyes responded when questioned on his drive to take West Ham to the next level.
"I'm nearly a bit embarrassed to be asked that question because I'm a football nut. I love my football, I go to games, I love it, really do. I have got great hunger."
"I said to everybody that we will make a decision at the end of the season."
West Ham and Moyes will hope to end a three-game winless run in the league when they head to London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Courtois to make first start this season as Madrid close in on title
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will make his first start of the season against Cadiz on Saturday after making a full recovery from two knee injuries, Carlo Ancelotti has revealed.
Ancelotti, however, will remain cautious with Courtois, who has not played since suffering torn ligaments 13 months ago, with Andriy Lunin set to return for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich.
"The decisive game we have in mind, a final, is Wednesday's match against Bayern, where Lunin will play. After that, we'll see what happens," Ancelotti said on Friday.
"Courtois is fine, he will play tomorrow after a long, long time. It's good news that he's coming back, just like [Eder] Militao.
"Courtois can contribute, he's feeling good, he's very excited. We are delighted to have him back."
Lunin has established himself as Ancelotti's preferred deputy in Courtois' absence, seeing off competition from Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Lunin was Madrid's hero as they beat Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals, making two saves in their 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory after an inspired performance in a 1-1 second-leg draw.
Courtois, however, is widely considered to be one of the world's best goalkeepers and the Belgian is likely to regain his starting spot soon, with a LaLiga and Champions League double in Madrid's sights.
He was named man-of-the-match in the 2022 Champions League final after making nine saves to deny Liverpool as Madrid clinched a record-extending 14th European title with a 1-0 win in Paris.
Brazil centre-back Militao returned in late March after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in August, making his first start in last week's win at Real Sociedad in LaLiga.
"We were too passive against Bayern. We have to be more active. So Militao will play tomorrow to get into a rhythm," Ancelotti said.
"We are only thinking about the 'final' on Wednesday. We don't think about what might happen in a month's time. Hopefully, soon we can start looking further ahead, it will mean we'll make the final in London."
With five games left, Ancelotti's side top the LaLiga standings on 84 points, 11 ahead of Barca and 13 clear of third-placed Girona. They can clinch a record-extending 36th Spanish title if they beat Cadiz and Barcelona fail to win at Girona later on Saturday.
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