For Olympiacos, the international break has done something useful for once: it has started to give Imanol Alguacil a real squad again. With Sunday’s Olympiacos Vs Panathinaikos derby approaching, the return of several players from international duty on Wednesday allowed the club to step up its preparation at exactly the right moment.
That matters because this is not just about getting players back through the door. It is about getting them onto the training pitch soon enough for Alguacil to work with them for at least two sessions before a derby that rarely allows much room for improvisation. In a match like this, the timing of recovery and reintegration can be as important as the tactical plan itself.
According to Sport24.gr, at least five players were expected to rejoin the squad on Thursday, with three of them — Remo Freuler, Armando González and David Carmo — due back at Rentis on Thursday morning. Gustavo Puerta was expected to go for rehabilitation in the afternoon, as he was the last to return from his duties with the Colombian national team. The main point for Olympiacos, though, is that the squad was beginning to look more complete again after the disruption of the international break.
More options, fewer doubts
There was also encouraging news on the injury front. Leon Bailey and Gustavo Sa had already rejoined training, which gives Olympiacos a better chance of entering the derby with more than just available numbers. It gives the coaching staff a chance to assess rhythm, workload and readiness, which is exactly what a derby week demands.
Sport24.gr also noted that the important thing for Alguacil is that, aside from the wait to see how tired the internationals will be when they return, he does not face any real problems ahead of the derby with Panathinaikos. That does not guarantee a perfect preparation, of course, but it does suggest that Olympiacos are moving into Sunday with more control than they had just a few days earlier.
In practical terms, that is a meaningful edge. International breaks often leave clubs guessing about fitness, form and availability, but Olympiacos now appear to have enough bodies back to make the final phase of preparation worthwhile. Against Panathinaikos, where details tend to decide everything, those extra training sessions could matter more than they usually do.
