Loss to Panathinaikos doesn’t leave much room for UEFA Champions League dreams. However the “Double-Headed Eagle” don’t have the luxury to get disappointed or give up now. The team’s new aim is to secure second place and guarantee their berth in the UEFA Europa League group stage, that will allow the squad time for preseason training.

In the aftermath of the Toumba game, PAOK players trained split into two groups. Those who started against Panathinaikos, followed a special decompression program with jogging and gym exercises. Stelios Pozoglou did physiotherapy and will do an MRI to determine the extent of his injury in the iliopsoas muscle, sustained in the first half of Wednesday’s game.

Stefanos Athanasiadis also did physiotherapy, after medical examination revealed a hematoma in the right gluteus muscle sustained by falling on the pitch from Κoutroubis’s irregular manmarking. Panagiotis Glykos followed a special program due to his shoulder pains. Alexandros Tziolis and Róbert Mak also remained in the gym. The Greek international holding midfield is suspended for the Sunday game at Leoforos.

The second group did possession drills in reduced space against six mini-goals. Friday’s training session is scheduled to begin at 17.30 at Nea Mesimvria.

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