OFI travel to Rennes on Thursday, 15 October, for their second Europa League match
OFI will play Rennes at Roazhon Park at 22:00 on Thursday, 15 October, seeking to build on a 2-0 opening win over Hoffenheim in the League Phase.
Setup
OFI face Rennes at Roazhon Park on Thursday, 15 October, with kickoff at 22:00 for the second matchday of the Europa League League Phase. The Cretan side opened the competition with a 2-0 win over Hoffenheim at the Pagkritio, a result that has lifted its spirits before the trip to Brittany. Rennes have yet to win in the competition, after their opener against Sturm Graz in Austria ended 0-0. Greek outlets describe the French visit as one of the most demanding tests of OFI's European run so far. OFI also reached the League Phase by eliminating CSKA Sofia, and Christos Kontis's side must now show it can take points away from home. Before the European break, OFI lost 3-0 to AEK at Nea Filadelfia in the Super League.
Team news and expected lineup
Sielis and Isek are unavailable with injury problems, and no new fitness concerns have emerged, according to SKAI. Kontis has also included the young Sitmalidis and Kainourgiakis in the squad. The starting lineups published shortly before kickoff, as reported by in.gr and NEWS 24/7, show a 3-4-3 system. Christogeorgos starts in goal, with Kritzmanis, Nikolaou and Pougouras at the back, while Nous plays on the left of attack, Foundas on the right and Kontro leads the line. SKAI had earlier tipped Nous for a place in the front three, which the published lineup confirms.
Rennes and the officials
Rennes come into the game after a 4-1 home win over Auxerre in Ligue 1, which Greek outlets present as an impressive league display. Their lineups differ from one Greek outlet to another, so no single predicted Rennes XI is treated as confirmed here. Andrea Colombo of Italy will referee, assisted by Filippo Meli and Valerio Colarossi, also from Italy, with Simone Sozza as fourth official. Christopher Hagenes of Norway is the VAR and Marco Di Bello of Italy the AVAR. OFI's coach will want his side to keep the defensive shape that carried it through the opening win over Hoffenheim.
Supporters and broadcast
Around 500 OFI supporters are expected to make the trip to Brittany, and Greek coverage treats their presence as important in a difficult away setting. The match kicks off at 22:00 and is shown live on Magenta Sport 5. Live updates will also be available on NewsIT and LIVE SPORT24. The result will set the tone for OFI's next League Phase fixtures, with the team looking to leave France with points.
