FCSB will host Greek champions Olympiakos on November 28th 2024, at the Arena Nationala in Bucharest, Romania. This UEFA Europa League showdown is a must-watch as both teams look to climb the group standings in the battle for European glory.
While FCSB aims to assert their dominance at home, Olympiacos bring their pedigree and experience to the table, making this a potentially epic clash of styles and ambitions.
FCSB Form
| Play-offs | |||
| 22-Aug-24 | LASK | 1-1 | FCSB |
| 29-Aug-24 | FCSB | 1-0 | LASK |
| Europa League | |||
| 26-Sep-24 | FCSB | 4-1 | FC RFS |
| 03-Oct-24 | PAOK FC | 0-1 | FCSB |
| 24-Oct-24 | Rangers FC | 4-0 | FCSB |
| 07-Nov-24 | FCSB | 2-0 | FC Midtjylland |
FCSB have been poor in the Romanian SuperLiga, sitting in sixth place with 24 points, after 15 matches. However, their Europa League campaign has been a rollercoaster ride. They are currently eighth on the Europa League standings, they have managed three wins (including a credible 1-0 away win over Greek side PAOK), no draws, and a loss in four games. A form they will be looking to build on for sure as it’s currently enough to directly qualify for the next round.
Their last domestic outing saw them win away from home by defeating Universita Cluj 2-1, with Daniel Birligea putting in a man-of-the-match performance by scoring two goals. Cypriot Head coach Elias Charalambous praised his team’s attacking fluidity but admitted that defensive lapses remain a concern.
Olympiacos Form
| 26-Sep-24 | Olympique Lyonnais | 2-0 | Olympiacos FC |
| 03-Oct-24 | Olympiacos FC | 3-0 | SC Braga |
| 24-Oct-24 | Malmö FF | 0-1 | Olympiacos FC |
| 07-Nov-24 | Olympiacos FC | 1-1 | Rangers FC |
Olympiakos on the other hand are currently third in the Greek Super League with a dominant run, boasting six wins in their last 11 matches. Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi leads the goal scoring charts with 11 goals so far this season.
In Europe, they sit 11th in the new Europa League group format thanks to wins over Braga and Malmo.
Their previous Europa League game was a thrilling 1-1 draw with Scottish giants Rangers, with Cyriel Dessers scoring an equalizer in the 64th minute. Manager Jose Luis Mandilbar had this to say about his team’s performance after the draw with Rangers.
“The truth is, we did say that the two teams were evenly matched, and it was proven on the field. But we can also say that Rangers were better than us. Although we scored first, they were quicker to every ball. For us, the 1-1 draw was a good result, though I’m not sure if they feel the same way.
“I think what they did was play a direct style of football, which prevented us from approaching their area, and we couldn’t press high as we usually do. They won most of the balls and dominated in many parts of the game. I don’t think they played as defensively as some Greek teams do, but their direct play and long balls prevented us from implementing our high-pressure game effectively.”
“Apostolopoulos is a team player, and after Ortega’s injury, we made certain decisions about who would replace him. In this match, we decided Apostolopoulos would fill in for Ortega. His substitution was for tactical reasons. The seven points are what we deserve based on our performances so far—whether we like it or not, these are the points we earned”
“We can’t predict what will happen next. There are two ways to advance: either finish in the top eight or go through the qualifiers. Of course, there’s also the chance of not advancing at all. With the new format of the competition, surprises are possible. We’ll all wait to see how many points the other teams gather, and I hope we earn the points we need in the upcoming matches to qualify.”
After the game against Rangers, Olympiakos returned to domestic duties and had to face fellow Greek giants, PAOK in Thessaloniki and won 3-2. Here was what he said after such a thrilling victory.
“This was our decision, not because we saw any gaps in PAOK’s defence, but because in our recent games, playing more directly has cost us. We decided to capitalize on second balls because in our last matches, we struggled in this area, and we felt this approach would benefit our play.”
“It is true that twice we managed to lead by two goals, and both times PAOK closed the gap. However, it was good that PAOK didn’t manage to equalize, which gave us the strength to push through to the end. It was an open game with chances for both teams.”
The game promises to be an exciting one with both sides having a lot to prove to themselves and their respective fan bases. Olympiakos will be hoping that Chiquinho and his teammates will be able to draw inspiration and power the team to victory, while FCSB who will be the hosts will have the support of their many incredible supporters.
Home fans of the Romanian Super League team will be able to get FCSB tickets from an online resale store.
FCSB vs Olympiakos Past Meetings
This will be the first competitive meeting between FCSB and Olympiakos. Both teams are known for their passionate fanbases, so the atmosphere at the Arena Nationala is expected to be electric.
Current UEFA Europa League Table
| Position | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| QUALIFIES FOR ROUND 16 | |||||||||
| 1 | Lazio | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 12 |
| 2 | Ajax | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | Galatasaray | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 10 |
| 4 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 5 | Anderlecht | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 6 | Athletic Bilbao | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 8 | FCSB | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| KNOCKOUT STAGE | |||||||||
| 9 | Lyon | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| 10 | Rangers | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| 11 | Olympiakos FC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 12 | Bodo/Glimt | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 13 | FC Midtjylland | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| 14 | Ferencvaros | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| 15 | Manchester United | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| 16 | FC Viktoria Plzen | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 17 | AZ Alkmaar | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 18 | Besiktas | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 6 |
| 19 | TSG Hoffenheim | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 20 | Roma | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 21 | Fenerbahce | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
| 22 | FC Porto | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| 23 | Slavia Prague | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 24 | IF Elfsborg | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| ELIMINIATION | |||||||||
| 25 | Real Sociedad | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
| 26 | Braga | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 |
| 27 | FC Twente | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 3 |
| 28 | Malmo FF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 3 |
| 29 | Qarabag FK | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 3 |
| 30 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| 31 | Nice | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 2 |
| 32 | Rigas Futbola Skola | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 2 |
| 33 | PAOK Salonika | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 1 |
| 34 | Ludogorets | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 1 |
| 35 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
| 36 | Dynamo Kiev | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | -10 | 0 |
Match Tickets
The match kicks off at 21:00 UTC on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the Arena Nationala in Bucharest, which has a seating capacity of 55,600.
FCSB vs Olympiakos tickets are in high demand, with many fans eager to support their teams. For those looking to secure a seat, it is advisable to check the club’s official website or reliable ticket resale platforms as soon as possible.
Team News
Line-ups
FCSB are dealing with a couple of injury concerns, but they have a robust squad that should be able to compete very well against the Greek giants.
FCSB XI: Tarnovanu; Pantea, Ngezana, Dawa, Popescu; Edjouma, Alhassan; Stefanescu, Phelipe, Miculescu; Birligea
Olympiakos will be quite motivated to get something out of the game. The likes of Chiquinho and Gelson Martins will be looking to inflict serious damage to the Romanian club’s defence.
Olympiacos XI: Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega; Hezze, Mouzakitis, Rodinei, Chiquinho, Gelson Martins; El Kaabi
Prediction
While FCSB’s home advantage and attacking intent will be strong and very clear from the first minute, they face a very difficult proposition in Olympiacos. They will likely approach the game with a cautious approach as their opponents are quite formidable. This game looks evenly balanced because of FCSB’s home form and would likely end in a draw.
FCSB 1-1 Olympiacos
