Undefeated, bursting of self-confidence but also somewhat stressed –let’s not forget it’s teenagers we are talking about–, PAOK U15s take on Olympiakos in the Final Four semi-finals in Lamia, on Thursday 4 April at 14:00 in the Lamia Municipal Sports Centre. Panathinaikos will face Aris in the second semi-final on the same day, at 18:00. The Super League Souroti U15 final is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 on Sunday 7 April.

The expedition of the “Double-Headed Eagle” left for Lamia on Wednesday morning.

Super League introduce this season the Final Four format in the U15 category. Since 2013, the champions would emerge from a final between the sides topping the two groups. PAOK and Olympiakos have won the title twice each. Panathinaikos won once, last season, after prevailing in the penalty shoot-out over PAOK in the final held in Lamia.

In Group B, PAOK sealed their qualification very early, finishing at the top with a 19-point advantage over second-placed Aris. Xanthi (27 points), PAS Giannina (12) and Panetolikos (4) completed the group.

Panathinaikos won Group A at the finishing line, collecting 42 points, one more than Olympiakos. Atromitos (26), AEK Athens (20), Asteras Tripolis (18), OFI Crete (13) and Panionios (12) were also in the group.

PAOK U15 profile

PAOK U15s have gone a long way together under the watchful eye of Apostolos Papavasiliou and Dimitris Taxidis. Most of have been team-mates since their childhood and 14 of them live together in the PAOK Academy House.

Having gathered valuable experience through their participation in international tournaments, they have grown accustomed to winning and collecting trophies. They were the proud holders of a very long undefeated streak, but Porto FC put an end to it in the final of Leiria Cup in the summer of 2018.

In the Greek league they are still undefeated however. They are heading to the Final Four with 15 wins and one goalless draw they conceded at Xanthi. They were prolific in attack (58 goals scored) and extremely proficient in defence (just 4 goals).

Giorgos Koutsias was PAOK’s top scorer with 23 goals, while Lampros Smyrlis netted 12 goals. Theodoros Spyridopoulos has 5 goals to his name, Zisis Tsikos 4 goals and Anastasios Symeonidis has scored three times. Μarios Bampouras, Viktor Rumiantsev and Alexandros Kedikoglou have netted two goals each. As for Ιsidoros Koutsidis, Fabian Cela and Angelos Zilos, they have contributed one goal each. Lampros Smyrlis leads the assists’ chart with 5 decisive passes, Marios Bampouras, Anastasios Symeonidis and Theodoros Spyridopoulos trail with 4 assists each, while Viktor Rumiantsev has three. Regarding minutes played, Giorgos Koutsias (1.165 minutes), Zisis Tsikos (1.118 minutes), Eleftherios Tasiouras (1.070 minutes), Angelos Zilos (also 1.070 minutes) and Lampros Smyrlis (1.058 minutes) lead the pack.

Eight members of the team are internationals with Greece’s youth sides: Dimitris Monastirlis, Nikolaos Botis, Eleftherios Tasiouras, Lampros Smyrlis, Giorgos Koutsias, Isidoros Koutsidis, Fabian Cela, Zisis Tsikos.

PAOK U15 squad:

Goalkeepers: Dimitrios Monastirlis, Nikolaos Botis

Defenders: Vasilios Zafiriadis, Eleftherios Tasiouras, Isidoros Koutsidis, Angelos Zilos, Marios Sinanaj, Ioannis Tsaloukidis, Evangelos Toskos, Fabian Cela

Midfielders: Georgios Lazariotis, Zisis Tsikos, Anastasios Symeonidis, Ioannis Pitilakos, Viktor Rumiantsev, Theodoros Kalogiros, Theodoros Spyridopoulos

Forwards: Georgios Koutsias, Lampros Smyrlis, Alexandros Kedikoglou, Georgios Koulouris, Michail-Rafail Kamaros, Marios Bampouras

Coaches: Apostolos Papavasiliou, Dimitrios Taxidis

Fitness coach: Εvangelos Alexopoulos

Goalkeeping coach: Dimitrios Kryonas

Physiotherapists: Μichail Kostidis

Kit managers: Evgenios Rumiantsev, Ιakovos Galinos

• The semi-finals and final of the Super League U15 will be broadcast on Star Central Greece (1st semi-final REC, 2nd Semi-final and final live), TV 100 – Thessaloniki (live), AstraTV – Thessalia (REC), Delta TV Thrace (live), Ionian TV/ West Greece TV (1st semi-final REC, 2nd Semi-final and final live) and on the official account of Super League on Twitter.
• The matches consist of two 40-minute halves. In case of regulation time draw, winners are decided by penalty shoot-out.