Olympiakos vs. Juventus: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Olympiakos and Juventus will each hope for a return to winning ways on Wednesday, where the pair will meet in Piraeus for the first of two back-to-back encounters with one another.
Last time out in the Champions League, Juve lost 1-0 at Atletico Madrid while the champions of Greece stumbled to a 2-0 defeat against Malmo.
As things stand, all four teams in Group A are tied on three points apiece and a goal difference of just two separating top from bottom, adding a touch of spice to Wednesday's meeting which promises to pull the entire pool apart.
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Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Fox Soccer 2GO (US)
TV Info: Sky Sports 5 (UK, red button), beIN Sports 3 (US)
Key Players to Watch
Olympiakos: Ibrahim Afellay
Ibrahim Afellay has earned a reboot of his career since moving on loan to Olympiakos from Barcelona this season, a chance at consistent first-team football that injury has prevented in recent years.
The Dutchman was on the scoresheet during the Red and Whites' shock 3-2 win over Atletico in Week 1, and he'll hope to keep up his reputation as something of a team favourite upon hosting Juve this Wednesday.
Guus Hiddink has brought Afellay back into the national-team fold of late, too, with OptaJohan and Barcastuff illustrating just what a potential the player possesses to be a standout figure:
"Full-time: Netherlands-Kazakhstan 3-1. Afellay played the whole game, assisted 1-1 and scored 2-1 #fcblive #loanwatch
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) October 10, 2014"
Against the Bianconeri, Olympiakos will need some of that sparkle in surplus amounts, given the Italian champions have conceded just three goals in Serie A competition thus far in the campaign.
Afellay tends to pick up a free role in attacking midfield, giving Kostas Mitroglou a reliable platform to work from, but neither the Juventus defence nor midfield will be easily outsmarted.
Juventus: Carlos Tevez
After reopening his European account with a brace against Malmo in the first round of competition, Carlos Tevez will have been as disappointed as any to see his side whimper away from the Vicente Calderon without netting in Week 2.
However, Olympiakos present a more susceptible opponent, having conceded five goals in their first six Greek Super League games of the 2014-15 season.
Tevez is in a fine vein of form at present, featuring prominently in any attacking success his side have seen this term:
So impressive has the striker been, in fact, that former Juventus and Italy manager Marcello Lippi hails the forward as being as good as former Bianconeri legend Zinedine Zidane, per Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia):
"The Apache is doing very well. This is a Tevez we’ve never seen before. Even at [Manchester] United, where he won the Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup. This year he is truly surprising everyone.
He’s playing so well that he puts me in mind of the best periods at Juventus, when the best players came to Juve. I’m thinking of Zidane, of Nedved, of Deschamps. Superstars on that level.
I think Tevez has risen to the level of Zidane and the best Juventus players, simply because he has never been so decisive, and he’s consistent too. So far this season he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s been the real leader of the Bianconeri. And that’s why he’s on the same path as Zidane.
"
Once again, Massimiliano Allegri's leading man will look to steer his side past their upcoming enemies, his presence likely to play a crucial part in the club rediscovering any Champions League joy.
