AEK vs Asteras Tripolis Match Preview

AEK host Asteras Tripolis at the OAKA Stadium for the Greek Cup 1/8-finals 2nd leg. The winner of this match will face Panaitolikos in the next stage of the competition.

AEK is in a great form recently, they won 1-3 over Volos last Wednesday, in a game where they entered the pitch with a wide rotated squad and managed to take comfortably all three points. In the weekend, they played a bore draw against league leaders Olympiacos at home. They played a really passionate and aggressive game which kept Olympiacos scoreless.

AEK remain 3rd in the standings with a total of 38 points, having a 4-point distance from the 4th placed Panathinaikos. In the first game of the Greek Cup against Asteras Tripolis, they drew 1-1 and struggled a lot to take this result, but the away goal makes it an easier task for them to qualify in the next round.

Unavailable due to injuries are Galanopoulos, Oikonomou, Klonaridis, and Dmytro Chygrynskiy, while Ande Simoes is suspended. Christos Albanis is expected to enter in the first eleven.

On the other hand, Asteras Tripolis prevailed 2-0 over Panionios after a rather expected 3-1 defeat to PAOK away from home. Last Monday, they drew 1-1 in Lamia, scoring the equalizer in the dying minutes of the game from the penalty spot by Walter Iglesias. Asteras Tripolis was playing with a man less in the pitch since the 74th minute of the game, after the sent off of Dani Suarez.

They are currently placed 12th in the standings with a total of 21 points, quite low, but still far away from the relegation zone. In the first leg, they made things hard for AEK to take a positive result, despite the fact that AEK created many chances. The hosts also missed a penalty kick with Jeronimo Barrales. Kotsiras will be available again, while Dani Suarez, Luis Fernandez, and Sito are unavailable for today's match.

AEK are currently in great shape, they have a great advantage by scoring one away goal and now they will give their best to qualify in the next round. Asteras Tripolis struggled a lot to get a positive result in the first leg and now things are tough for them. AEK are the favorites of this match, and I expect them to win. AEK to win and also cover the -1 Asian Handicap.