Panathinaikos FC (PAO) was one of the top two teams in the Greek Super League this season. After a decade without claiming the title, Ivan Jovanović successfully constructed a team with a limited budget that remained competitive until the end. Despite possessing a market value of €44,900,000, the fourth highest among all teams, PAO managed to sit atop the league standings for several weeks during the season. Notably, the most expensive player in PAOs current squad was Andraž Šporar, formerly of EFL Championship side Middlesbrough, valued at €5,000,000.
Throughout the season, Jovanović’s players exhibited their prowess in every aspect of the game. Their unwavering determination for the title propelled them to overcome numerous obstacles, ultimately forging a stronger bond within both teams. Now, they stand prepared to showcase their abilities on the field and validate their credentials.
However, their Championship hopes were dashed in the final two games when they suffered a defeat against AEK Athens, who ultimately clinched the title. PAOs market value was €33,000,000 lower than that of Olympiacos Piraeus who had the highest-valued team in the league and had in their roster the former Real Madrid legend Marcelo. Of course, the story could have been different if PAO hadnt been unlucky to lose their top player Aitor Cantalapiedra, who spent time on Barcelonas books at the start 0f his senior career, and who played only the first nine games of the season before getting injured. Until that point, Aitor scored eight goals and provided two assists, and PAO achieved a perfect record with nine wins.
Panathinaikos favoured a build-up style of play, but what truly enabled them to contend for the Championship was their strong defence and their approach to the ball.
This tactical analysis will showcase the tactics and strategies used by Ivan Jovanović in the defensive and negative transition phase to reignite PAOs belief in the dream. The data reveals the truth.
PAO had a tight defensive structure that remained unaffected by absences or changes throughout the season. As a result, they have only conceded 16 goals in the current championship, with an average expected goals against (xGa) of 0.44 per 90 minutes.
As the diagram below shows, PAO was among the top teams in almost all the important categories, particularly in terms of xGa. Any team with such a low xGa data possesses at least one of two significant elements to prevent too many chances. They either defend excellently without the ball or have prolonged ball possession, limiting the opponents possibilities to create opportunities. PAO had the third-highest ball possession in the league at 58.1%, which helped them keep their opponents away from their defensive third. This, combined with their aggressive behaviour when losing the ball and high pressing in specific areas with a PPDA (passes per defensive action) of 8.32, aided the team in minimising the number of chances created against them.
But the number that stands out this season for PAO was not the average goals conceded but the difference between the goals they should have conceded based on the quality chances of their opponents with xG against 30.73, and the goals they have conceded, 16. The difference was 14.73 in favour of PAO.
PAO was one of the strongest teams in the air, boasting an average aerial win success rate of 50.1%. The percentage was even higher for the defensive line, especially when considering only defending actions. This proficiency enabled PAO to effectively defend, when needed, in a medium or even low block, without encountering difficulties in dealing with long balls. The centre-back, Bart Schenkeveld, emerged as the top player in the league for winning aerial duels, boasting an impressive 73.79% success rate.
Before proceeding to analyse how
