AEK Athens face PEC Zwolle in Netherlands as Marko Nikolic tests starting XI in fourth preseason friendly
The Greek side plays its fourth summer test in the Netherlands, with the coach expected to field his strongest lineup ahead of the new Super League season.
Preseason camp in the Netherlands
AEK Athens is currently based in the Netherlands for the second phase of its summer training camp, a period the club has labelled as the "basic building" stage ahead of the new season. The squad has been on Dutch soil for over a week and has already contested three friendly matches. On Sunday, July 26, the team will meet PEC Zwolle, a regular competitor in the Dutch Eredivisie, for the fourth and final friendly of this training block. The match will take place at the home ground of the Dutch side, providing a proper matchday environment.
Nikolic's lineup and tactical focus
Head coach Marko Nikolic has confirmed that he will deploy his strongest available starting eleven for the encounter. The Serbian manager has settled on a core group of players and now wants to use the remaining days of the camp to raise fitness levels and foster greater chemistry within the team. According to the club, Nikolic is looking for further improvement both in the overall performance and in the application of the tactical patterns worked on during daily training sessions. The match against the Eredivisie opponent is therefore an important checkpoint for evaluating how well the squad has internalised his instructions and whether it is ready for the official competitions that start soon.
Broadcast and live coverage
Kickoff is scheduled for 16:00 local time in the Netherlands. In Greece, the friendly will be broadcast live on Cosmote Sport 1HD, the subscription television channel that holds the rights to AEK's preseason fixtures. For fans who cannot watch on TV, the sports website SPORT24 will provide full live text and statistical coverage through its MatchCenter platform, delivering minute-by-minute updates. The match will also be listed in the outlet's daily television programme guide, allowing supporters to plan their viewing.
Building toward the new Super League season
The three earlier friendlies, all played on Dutch soil during the current camp, gave Nikolic the opportunity to rotate his squad and experiment with different tactical setups. The meeting with PEC Zwolle is expected to be the most competitive of the four, with the Greek club eager to measure itself against a team from a top European league. With the full starting lineup expected to take the pitch, the contest will offer one of the most reliable previews of AEK's shape and strength ahead of the upcoming Greek Super League season. The team, which finished near the summit of the table in the previous campaign, is aiming to build on that momentum.
