UCL 2025-26 GS/R1: Olympiacos 0-0 Pafos | Player Ratings

 

Olympiacos 0–0 Pafos | Match Rating: 5/10
Champions League opener. A match that had the right intensity but offered little in terms of spectacle. Olympiacos, despite playing with a man advantage for 60 minutes, couldn’t find a way to break Pafos’ defense.

Olympiacos (4-2-3-1)
Mendilibar 6: His team looked in good shape, fought hard, but couldn’t capitalize on playing with an extra man to secure a vital win for their campaign.

 

 

Paschalakis 6: Flirted with an early blunder. Pafos got close to his box but didn’t really force him into saves.

Retsos 7: Solid as usual. Could have been the hero of the night, but the keeper denied him twice with big stops.

Pirola 7: Involved in most duels, played with grit, and won the foul that led to the red card.

Rodinei 5: Brought his usual energy but his crosses didn’t produce results.

Ortega 7: One of the most active players, with good and bad moments. Gets a good rating mainly because he would have had an assist if Taremi had finished better at the end.

Garcia 6: Flawless on the ball but picked up an early yellow for stopping Zaza on a promising counter. Subbed off at halftime to make the team more attacking.

Esse 6: Had a few interceptions and helped in possession but offered little creativity.

Strefetza 5: Showed intent, carried the ball forward, but was ineffective. Subbed off at halftime. The team expects more from him.

Podence 5: Not his best night by his standards. Troubled the defense as usual but poor decision-making in the final third cost Olympiacos.

Tiquinho 6: Couldn’t unlock the Pafos defense despite trying.

El Kaabi 6: Didn’t have much space to work with against a packed defense but still got a few chances.

Substitutes

Mouzakitis 7: The most influential sub. Controlled the tempo and created danger with his passing.

Taremi 5: Another culprit. Nearly got sent off around the 70th minute and missed a huge chance to win it at 91’.

Costinha: Gave energy on the right flank in the last half hour but the much-needed goal never came.

Pnevmonidis: Lively, though made some mistakes due to inexperience. Still, his minutes are a positive takeaway.

Biancone: Acted almost like an extra forward with his aggressive style.

 

Pafos (4-3-3)
Cassedo 8: His team was very well-drilled despite not being a “big name.” Managed the game excellently after the red card and earned a draw that could prove as valuable as a win.

 

 

Mihail 7: One of the standouts. Solid presence between the posts, made two fine saves, well-protected by his defense.

Luckassen 8: Outstanding performance at the heart of defense. Dominant, cleared everything, and gave El Kaabi no room to operate.

Luiz 6: Lasted about half an hour at this tempo but still showed his quality under Olympiacos’ pressure.

Bruno 3: Showed intent but acted recklessly. His very early red card forced Pafos to sit deep and settle for the draw.

Koriea 7: Ran tirelessly, helping relieve pressure off the defense with his work rate.

Goltar 8 (MVP): After Luiz’s injury, he dropped into center-back and shone alongside Luckassen. Wins the MVP award for his dramatic last-minute block on Taremi at 91’.

Sunjic & Pepe 7: Very good, quiet but vital display from the two midfielders. Smart positioning and clean touches.

Zaza 7: One of Pafos’ best players. Did everything he could to relieve pressure with his counterattacking threat.

Dragomir 6: Not very influential in possession, but ran hard and helped the team protect the score.

Dimata 5: Barely touched the ball in the opening half hour before being sacrificed after Bruno’s red card.

Substitutes

Orsic 6: Nearly scored with a well-struck free kick in the 73rd minute that shaved the crossbar.

Pileas 6: Held his position well and contributed to the defensive effort.

Langa, Sema & Anderson: Also helped preserve the draw in the closing stages.

 

Referee Kovacs (Romania) 7: Overall a good display. Most key decisions looked correct, kept the game under control, and tried to be fair to both sides.