Panathinaikos adviser warns Real Madrid of the hell of Athens
Miguel Angel Corona, the sporting advisor of Panathinaikos, confirmed that Real Madrid's clash against AEK Athens in the Champions League will unfold in a fiery atmosphere. He pointed to the considerable physical strength of the Greek side, but reckoned the attacking speed of the Royal Club could make the difference.
According to the Spanish newspaper "AS", Corona knows both sides of this clash intimately. He came through Real Madrid's academy before moving to Athens, where he still works with Panathinaikos as a sporting advisor after a season running the club's technical management. That experience makes him a reliable judge of Greek football, and of AEK in particular, the Royal Club's next European opponent.
"Exactly one year ago, Rafa Benitez took charge of coaching the team, while I took up the position of sporting director," Corona said. "I believe we succeeded in achieving the required objectives, as the team was going through an extremely difficult phase, but Rafa managed to lead it to participate in the European competitions and reach the round of 16, an achievement that had not been accomplished for 16 years." When the club changed its direction last summer, he agreed to stay on in Athens as a sporting advisor to the board.
From his position within Greek football, Corona has a clear view of what the competitions there are like. "Greek football is characterised by intense heat and great passion," he said. "This is a country extremely passionate about sport, and the big matches leave an enormous impact, whether in moments of euphoria and celebration or in times of tension."
That fervour spills into the Greek league itself. Foreign referees often officiate the big fixtures, and clubs face restrictions on how many visiting fans they can bring into the stadiums.
"The country makes efforts to ensure security, and then to work on developing football and raising its standard," Corona added.
On the title race, Corona predicted the fight would narrow to fewer teams than in previous seasons. His work over the past year inside Panathinaikos's administrative structure helped drag the club back to the summit of Greek football.
Panathinaikos have not won the league title for 16 years. Yet they sit top of the standings, having beaten AEK at the end of last week.
"It seems the competition will be more confined to Panathinaikos and Olympiacos," Corona said. "The economic superiority of the two clubs compared to the rest of the teams is also apparent."
All of this, Corona believes, weighs on AEK, who are juggling the demands of the Champions League and missing one of their most prominent players, Pineda. "For me, he was the soul of the team," he explained. "The basic structure of the team is still almost the same, with two centre-backs who possess great strength, and two forwards who possess enormous physical abilities, such as Jovic, who has found his suitable place, and Vargas, but the holding midfielder was an extremely important element in the team's way of working. I think they feel his absence a great deal."
Corona also praised the work of Javier Ribalta, AEK's sporting director. "He is doing an exceptional job," he said.
The former footballer rates Greek football more highly than most. "The Greek league is not classified among the big five European leagues, and that is clear," he said, "but it is noticeably superior to the leagues of the Gulf countries, and even the Turkish league. The standard is very high, especially among the big teams."
Turning to the clash against Real Madrid, Corona pointed again to AEK's physical strength, but singled out one weapon that could tilt the tie the Royal Club's way. "It is a team with a very fast tempo, whether at the level of the match rhythm or the physical readiness," he explained. "The two centre-backs are very strong, and its two forwards, if they play together, are difficult to deal with because of their physical strength. But the speed that Real Madrid possesses in the front line could make the difference."
One more factor cannot be ignored, according to Corona: the crowd. "The atmosphere will be stunning," he said. "On nights like these, Greek football can show the rest of Europe that it possesses teams, fans and great passion. The fans will react strongly to the match, and the atmosphere will be extremely fiery."
Corona hopes to watch the match from the stands. His emotional bond with Real Madrid remains strong, forged in the Royal Club's academy, and he signed off with a wish for his old club. "I hope I am able to watch them. I wish them all the best, not only in this match, but I hope they reach the final and are crowned with the title."
