Latest news with #Pavlidis
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Have we seen Forest in a 'new light'?
We asked for your views on one thing nobody is talking about at Nottingham are some of your comments:Gary: Why, with such a strong position and influence in Greece with the ownership, has the club failed so far to identify and capture any of the emerging Greek talent? Players like Pavlidis who is now potentially out of reach at 100m euros. Tzolis and Karetsas may however still represent value?Mark: The absence of Ola Aina is more important than a lot of people think. He is a lynchpin in the dressing room and builds up team spirit and morale prior to every game. You just need to see his dancing routines on social media and the camaraderie it instils. We need him back as soon as Who is going to replace Chris Wood next season? At 34 years of age he probably hasn't got another season like this one in him - has he?Chappers: Forest are not used to going behind much this season. So chasing the game against an extremely good Villa side felt like something new. It also revealed the Forest team in a new light. They might not have earned points from the encounter, but it was really interesting to see them play attacking football in the second half. They carved out multiple chances and demonstrated the ability to play in a totally different way. This can only bode well moving forward for the Apart from a recent run of tough and long games, Forest have had very few injuries. By playing out of possession and then hitting teams on the break, they are not chasing the game for 90 mins like other teams. Teams like Spurs, who play fast attacking and exciting football, have had loads of injuries and have suffered. Forest play attacking, measured and exciting football with very few The number of clearances off the line made by Forest - a league high of nine this season. This shows just how dogged our defence has been and how many extra points their last ditch defending has saved.
The Independent
19-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Greece vs Scotland prediction: Vangelis Pavlidis to feature in narrow win for the hosts
Greece vs Scotland betting tips Greece to win, both teams to score – 15/4 William Hill Vangelis Pavlidis to score anytime – 2/1 Bet365 Scotland travel to Athens to take on Greece in the first leg of their Nations League play-off on Thursday night, with Steve Clarke's side looking to stay in the top tier of the competition. A late Andy Robertson winner against Poland in November has given Scotland a second chance at avoiding relegation from the Nations League A tier, with Greece looking to take their place ahead of this two-leg shootout. Greece lost just one match as they finished runners-up to England on goal difference alone in their B-tier group, while the Scots finished third despite encouraging performances against Croatia and Portugal. After Thursday's first leg, there will be a quick turnaround for the second leg at Hampden Park on Sunday (23 March). And the Greeks are the early favourites for the tie, with football betting sites pricing them at 1/1 to grab the win on Thursday compared to odds of 29/10 for the Scots. Greece vs Scotland Betting: Hosts should earn narrow first-leg lead Greece come into the match as fairly heavy favourites according to betting sites, with the odds reflecting their positive performances in their B group, which included a win over England at Wembley. Ivan Jovanovic's side beat both Finland and Ireland home and away across that campaign too, showcasing plenty of ability against sides that are similar in stature to the Scots. However, Scotland punched well above their weight in their League A campaign, with narrow losses to Portugal and Croatia showing that Steve Clarke's side have the ability to hurt top teams when everything clicks. The question, then, is whether it will click in Athens. Greece last lost at home to the Netherlands in October 2023, and the quality throughout the squad suggests they'll have enough to overcome a resolute Scotland side. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that Scotland only failed to score once in their league campaign, despite the quality of opposition. To that end, a wager on Greece to win but both teams to score could offer value at 15/4 with William Hill. Greece vs Scotland prediction 1: Greece to win, both teams to score – 15/4 William Hill Greece vs Scotland Tips: Pavlidis to lead hosts to victory Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis is the in-form man for Greece, having scored 20 goals and grabbed nine assists so far this season at club level – including a remarkable Champions League hat-trick against Barcelona in January. While he has not been able to replicate that same form at international level, his brace in the 2-1 win over England in October once again showed that he has the ability to hurt top sides. And Pavlidis will once again carry the main goal threat for Greece this time out, with likely support from winger Christos Tzolis and attacking midfielder Anastasios Bakasetas. With that in mind, a bet on Pavlidis to score anytime could present good value at 2/1. Greece vs Scotland prediction 2: Vangelis Pavlidis to score anytime – 2/1 Bet365 Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Hansi Flick finally turned Barcelona into a resilient Champions League side
Barcelona's recent European-level adventures have often involved shooting themselves in the foot. So, when Pau Cubarsi received his marching orders in the 22nd minute of their Champions League last-16 first leg against Benfica, years of disappointment must have flashed before anyone with a Barcelona disposition. Advertisement However, Hansi Flick's team battled to a 1-0 win on Wednesday at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz — the ground where Barcelona lost 8-2 to a Flick-managed Bayern Munich in the same competition's 2019-20 quarter-finals (when the Covid-19 pandemic led UEFA to stage a single-elimination eight-club mini-tournament in the Portuguese capital instead of the usual two-leg, home-and-away format) and shipped four goals while scoring five to beat Benfica in the league phase just six weeks ago. But on Wednesday, Barca displayed the kind of resilience they have seldom shown on the UEFA stage since their most recent Champions League title success in 2015, and combined it with tactical flexibility (as illustrated below by the lopsided shape in their match dashboard). This was not Barcelona's first attempt at adjusting their play style under Flick since his appointment last summer. They ditched the ball-dominant, high-intensity pressing in the 4-1 league-phase home win against Bayern in October — one of their best performances of the season — using man-marking with their signature risky offside trap instead. Barcelona ended that match with 39 per cent possession and a PPDA (passes per defensive action, a metric that measures the intensity of a team's press) of 16.1, suggesting they stayed relatively patient instead of forcing turnovers high up the pitch. Against Benfica on Wednesday, Barcelona began with a high press, recording a PPDA of 7.7 between kick-off and the 22nd minute. Their offside trap was evident, too. In this example from the 16th minute, Kerem Akturkoglu tries to slip in Vangelis Pavlidis, with Inigo Martinez jumping in the opposite direction — a move he has perfected this season — in an attempt to catch Pavlidis offside. But Pavlidis, who scored a 30-minute hat-trick in January's league-phase meeting, kept himself onside and made it into the box before blazing a shot over. Cubarsi's red card brought an understandable shift in approach. Ronald Araujo was brought on for Dani Olmo and from then on, Barcelona's closing down dropped to a PPDA of 24.3, their highest (ie, least intense) figure in either La Liga or the Champions League this season. Advertisement Out of possession, Barcelona shifted to a 4-4-1 when Benfica advanced beyond their own defensive third, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal joining Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in midfield. Robert Lewandowski, who some would argue could have been taken off instead of Olmo given the latter's greater ability in tight spaces, stayed higher up the pitch as an outlet, resulting in the shape below. This cut out easy passes into Benfica midfielders Orkan Kokcu and Fredrik Aursnes, forcing that duo to drop deeper. The home side had to work their way around instead of through Barcelona's 10 men, while balls over the top were ineffective with the visitors' back line sitting deeper. Benfica could not penetrate the box with crosses either as Araujo, a reactive defender better suited to this approach than to playing in high lines, and Martinez anticipated well to intercept. In the second half, the shape changed to a 5-3-1 as Raphinha moved to left wing-back. This meant Pedri and De Jong had to cover more ground, but they were up to the task, winning 10 duels and making 15 recoveries between them (highlighted by Pedri's defensive actions figure in his player dashboard below). Flick displayed his in-game management skills again when Benfica channelled more attacks down the left at the start of the second half. Left-back Alvaro Carreras troubled Jules Kounde, prompting Flick to replace Yamal with Ferran Torres and shift Raphinha to the right wing. Carreras' impact was reduced, while Torres took over left wing-back duties. That meant Raphinha could push higher up the pitch and led to the game's only goal after he intercepted centre-back Antonio Silva's loose pass. Barcelona's change in setup was most evident in the 74th minute during a Benfica transition. As the pass is played, Martinez runs towards his own goal rather than performing his trademark jump forward. That eliminates substitute Andrea Belotti as a passing option, with Benfica eventually going out wide. Five minutes later, Flick replaced Lewandowski and De Jong with defender Gerard Martin and midfielder Marc Casado. That saw Raphinha become Barcelona's most advanced attacker in their 5-3-1 shape without possession. When Benfica threw more players forward in the closing stages, Barcelona reacted by adding another body to their defence. Wojciech Szczesny made multiple important saves, including one to keep out Renato Sanches in the dying seconds of stoppage time. But Barcelona's adaptability and patience, which they failed to show in January's 2-2 league-stage-finale draw at home against Atalanta and, just a week ago, the 4-4 draw with visitors Atletico Madrid in the first leg of a Copa del Rey semi-final, were crucial. Flick altered Barcelona's in-possession approach after the red card, too. Szczesny attempted 27 long passes, the most by a Barcelona goalkeeper in their past two league and Champions League campaigns. The ploy gave Barcelona time to re-organise themselves while their forwards fought for first and second balls with Benfica defenders. There were subtle variations in both halves. In the first, Szczesny used flatter passes towards striker Lewandowski, who was tasked with winning the header and finding Pedri, who was prepared to carry the ball forward like in the image below. Yamal and Raphinha made runs ahead of Lewandowski, giving Pedri options for a pass either over the top or through the defence. Barcelona changed that approach in the second half. Szczesny began arcing his balls higher and more towards the wings, where Lewandowski and Raphinha (and later Torres) fought for headers. In the image below, Pedri has his back to goal, prioritising possession over advancing up the pitch. In this instance, in the 78th minute, Lewandowski jostles for the ball while Torres occupies right-back Samuel Dahl. Lewandowski beats two defenders to win the header on the bounce and finds Pedri, who runs wide after Torres pulls Dahl with him. Barcelona can then recycle possession to kill a few more seconds. These sequences justified Flick's decision to keep the 36-year-old Lewandowski on the pitch. Barcelona contested 36 aerial duels, their joint-highest figure in the league and Champions League this season (tied with the 1-1 draw at Getafe in January and 1-0 win against Alaves a couple of weeks later). Lewandowski alone engaged in 13 and won six, including a couple while defending corners. After the match, Szczesny explained the change in tactics while speaking with CBS Sports Golazo. 'We understood that we cannot play open and high, because it would be difficult to have pressure on the ball with one man less. We stayed very compact, a little bit deeper, waiting for our chances on the counter-attack,' he said, before adding, 'It was a good test of the maturity and character of the team.' It was a test Barcelona passed with flying colours. GO DEEPER Champions League projections 2024-25: Who will lift the trophy in Munich on May 31?
Al-Ahram Weekly
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Benfica hold off Monaco to reach Champions League last 16 - World
Benfica snatched a nailbiting 3-3 draw against Monaco on Tuesday to reach the Champions League last 16 with a 4-3 aggregate victory in the play-off round. Monaco twice led on the night and came close to forcing extra-time but Orkun Kokcu's 84th minute equaliser helped Benfica scrape through in Lisbon, with Barcelona or Liverpool awaiting in the next round. Kerem Akturkoglu put the hosts ahead against the run of play, with Takumi Minamino levelling for Monaco after 32 minutes. Eliesse Ben Seghir fired the visitors ahead but Vangelis Pavlidis struck from the spot to keep the score tied on the night. French youngster George Ilenikhena netted in the 81st minute for Monaco but Kokcu prodded home to send Benfica through. Monaco hammered Nantes 7-1 on Saturday in the French top flight, sharpening their pencils ahead of their crucial exam at the Estadio da Luz. Both sides were without key players through injuy and suspension, with Benfica missing Angel Di Maria among others, while Monaco started with just one recognised midfielder. Wingers Maghnes Akliouche and Ben Seghir played more centrally than usual and both shone in Lisbon, despite ending up on the losing side. Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin made a good save to deny Monaco's Krepin Diatta early on, as the Ligue 1 side looked to get back on level terms in the tie and had the better of the first half. However it was the hosts who took the lead after superb work by Benfica striker Pavlidis. The Greek attacker, who netted a hat-trick against Barcelona in the group stage, turned provider on this occasion and, after darting into the area, crossed to the back post for Akturkoglu to turn home. Swiss international Breel Embolo almost levelled for Monaco but his header hit the post, although the visitors netted less than a minute later. Embolo did well to hold off veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, allowing former Liverpool attacker Minamino room for a shot and he drilled home at the near post. Monaco should have taken the lead just before half-time but Embolo fired a glorious chance high over the crossbar after the impressive Akliouche surged through the middle and teed him up. Benfica cling on Ben Seghir forced Trubin into a fine save early in the second half, before pulling Monaco level at 2-2 on aggregate after 51 minutes. The Moroccan winger produced a deadly accurate first-time finish inside the near post after Akliouche cut the ball back to him from the right. Bruno Lage's side struggled to find a foothold in the match but Thilo Kehrer handed the hosts a lifeline when he went to clear the ball but arrived late and kicked Fredrik Aursnes in the box. Pavlidis, who netted the only goal of the first leg, powered home from the spot for his seventh of the tournament. Ilenikhena put Monaco back ahead on the night mere seconds after coming on from the bench, with Trubin unable to keep his low rifled effort out despite getting a hand to it. Adi Hutter's side could not hold on for more than three minutes, with Alvaro Carreras firing in a dangerous cross which Benfica midfielder Kokcu flicked home. Benfica were awarded another penalty in stoppage time when Diatta seemed to bring down Samuel Dahl, but the referee changed his mind after a VAR review. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Benfica thash Monaco in UCL
MONACO: Vangelis Pavlidis scored his sixth goal in this season's Champions League to give Benfica a 1-0 win away to 10-man Monaco in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie on Wednesday. Pavlidis scored the only goal of the game three minutes into the second half in the principality, with Monaco handicapped in their comeback attempts as midfielder Moatasem al-Musrati was sent off shortly after. Benfica, twice winners of the European Cup in the 1960s, will now hope to finish the job in the return leg in Lisbon next Tuesday, February 18. The winners of this tie will face a huge challenge in the last 16 against either Liverpool or Barcelona. Benfica, who are currently second in the Portuguese league behind Lisbon rivals Sporting, were hoping for a repeat of their victory in Monaco in the league phase in late November. They came from behind twice to win 3-2 on that occasion, aided by the sending-off of Monaco defender Wilfried Singo early in the second half. This time they went ahead on 48 minutes, bringing the game to life after a first half of few chances at the Stade Louis II. Pavlidis got goal-side of Mohammed Salisu to latch onto a pass in behind the home defence, before coolly lifting the ball over goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki to score. The Greek international centre-forward has now found the net six times in his team's last five Champions League outings, a run which includes a hat-trick in the dramatic 5-4 loss to Barcelona last month. That was the only goal of the game, but Monaco had Libyan midfielder Al-Musrati harshly sent off in the 52nd minute. The new loan signing from Besiktas in Turkey gestured to the referee calling for a yellow card after his teammate Breel Embolo had been fouled. However, Al-Musrati was himself cautioned, and having already been booked he was sent for an early shower. Having started their Champions League campaign with a win over Barcelona in September, Monaco have now suffered four defeats in their last five European outings.
