Many absences in the center of defense, but the center is “full”
With high spirits, they are preparing for Apollon ahead of the derby (13/03, 19:00) away from home with AEK, where they will claim the three points that will allow them to continue dreaming of securing a European ticket.
For days now, the main topic of discussion regarding the racing news of the “blue-and-whites” is related to the absence of Valentin Roberges, as Mathieu Peiburns is the only “pure-blooded” stopper for the Limassol team. However, beyond the issues in the center of the defense, there are also some positives emerging for Bogdan Antone.
So, among other things, it is worth noting that all the midfielders of last year's champions are normally counted ahead of the game in Larnaca. An exception might be Hambos Kyriakou, who is available, but at the same time is presented as the favorite to flank Peppers in the center of the defense.
If the above scenario is verified then Danilo Spoliaric, Isra Kol , Ilian Iliev and Ido Sahar are the ones who will fight for the two positions in the center. All four of them, with their recent appearances, have sent the message that they deserve to get a starting jersey and therefore it depends on how Apollo will compete.
That is, if the 48-year-old coach chooses a more balanced formation, then Spoliaric will have the first reason to take one of the two positions in the center area. But if he tries to surprise Luis Oltra by lining up his team with a more attacking approach, then the ever-evolving 'cutter' will be left on the bench, with two of the three above being selected in the first eleven.
Maybe based on what we've seen over the last year and a half… the Argentinian has proven to be an integral member of the lineup, but we can't ignore the fact that the other two are also in a good mood. It is also emphasized that Ejaz Hussain is also available, but he lags significantly behind in terms of pace, with the result that the chances of him being selected as a starter are very few.
With all this, Mr. Antone is happy to have at least four worthy options for the axis and it is now up to him how he decides to line up his team at the AEK Arena.
