ARIS V RED STAR
I am not gonna predict any outcome for this one as I am an Aris fan all my life and my subjectivity is questionable. I am gonna provide some info though.
Aris' team has changed dramatically over the last one and a half year. From the team that managed a late goal to secure its promotion from the greek division 2 only a couple of players have survived the drastical changes.
Team looks like this (this is how I would expect they start the game on Thursday althouth tactical surprises may not be excluded as I will explain). Goalkeeper is Greek NT Halkias (played in the last game Turkey v Greece). 4 in defence. Right back the Brazilian Neto, ex Santos, Left back Albanian NT Vangeli (replacing injured Brazilian Marco Aurelio), central defenders Brazilian Ronaldo Giaro and Avraam Papadopoulos who look so far as one of the strong points of the team. Central midfielders, Greek captain Nebegleras and Bolivian NT Nacho Garcia. On the wings, two Spanish players, Francisco Peral "Javito" and Tony Calvo. Serb Vladan Ivic as a creative midfielder and Spaniard Koke up front on a 4-2-3-1 initial formation with variants according to the run of play.
The team has started this year well enough, unbeaten in seven in the Greek championship, their most important moment being without doubt, kicking Zaragoza out of the
uefa cup on away goals (1-0 @ Thessaloniki, 1-2 @ Zaragoza). Good news about the team is they look well organised at times and defencively there hasn't been too many errors. Bad news it that the team is not flowing at the offensive part and due to that has drawn 4 of its 7 games in the league (three of them being 0-0 draws). Overall has scored just 6 goals in 7 games (3 of them being against Paok at the bog local derby) and has conceded just 2.
A problem concerning the team during this metamorphosis over the past one and a half year has been the coach. They started with virtually unknown Argentinian Guillermo Ollos who was coaching at Barca's academy. They changed after six months to Spanish Hernandez. Then after the end of the season they again changed coach bringing in another Spaniard Oliva. Finally they changed Oliva to a man that has a well established name in Greek football, Serb Dusan Bajevic who is, at last, expected to bring some kind of stability benchwise. The funny thing is that Bajevic was recently coaching Red Star wo he probably knows quite a lot about the team and that is why there may be some changes in the Aris team, if the trainer decides that tactically it would give him an edge.
Motivation could not be higher as Aris has had some tough times in the recent past and doing well in Europe will be a definite lift for the club. So surely the team and everybody around it consider this game of huge importance.
'Hope that helps. GL with your bets. I'll post my choices (if any) closer to the games.