FIERY FAREWELL, FIESTA FOREVER: OLYMPIACOS CLOSING THE SEASON IN STYLE | OneFootball

Eurokinissi | Georgios Matthaios

If you were wondering whether Olympiacos would coast into the summer sun after mathematically clinching the title weeks ago, Sunday night answered you with a flaming “όχι.” A 4–2 thrashing of PAOK wasn’t just a final score—it was a full-blown fireworks finale. Add a fiesta worthy of a centenary celebration, two European trophies making a cameo, and a sold-out bouncing Karaiskakis, and what you have is a club not just back on top—but soaring.

Let’s not kid ourselves: the match was the undercard. The real headliner was the 48th domestic title, a euphoric punctuation mark to a season that restored order, rekindled faith, and redefined expectations.

But before we get to the silverware and sambas, let’s rewind to the actual game.

A MATCH WITH FIREWORKS—ON AND OFF THE PITCH

It started in chaos. Debutant Anagnostopoulos allowing his nerves to get the better of him, gifting the opener to PAOK inside the first minute. Cue concerned looks and...frozen livestreams. But Olympiacos, in this season, doesn’t do panic. The response was emphatic: goals from Kristoffer Velde, El Kaabi, Chiquinho and Gelson Martins turned the night into a red-and-white carnival.

Velde got on the scoresheet for a second consecutive game, leaving Olympiacos scratching their heads again about a player that dazzled during preseason yet never managed to replicate that kind of form in official matches. Is he the “Palto” of the season or is there still hope for next season? Gelson Martins, another player that has been under fire, absolutely terrorized Baba down the wing finishing the game with a goal and assist and reminding us all that there's a difference between criticism and crucifixion. As for El Kaabi? An assist and a goal in his final home game of the season—just another day at the office for the Moroccan talisman.

But the real Man of the hour? That title goes to Jose Luis Mendilibar, the general who turned a fractured squad into warriors. The man brought back the fortress that is Karaiskakis—undefeated at home in official matches this season, a feat that had disappeared into myth for far too long.

Jose Luis Mendilibar with the Superleague trophy - Eurokinissi | Georgios Matthaios

THE FIESTA: RESTORING THE CROWN, RECLAIMING THE THRONE

After the final whistle, the real show began. Fans got what they waited two years for—a title celebration with flesh, flair, and flares. The cup was lifted, the stadium pulsed, and a long-overdue restoration was complete. But this wasn’t just a trophy lift—it was a celebration of everything Olympiacos has built up over the past year and since Mendilibar’s arrival last February:

Let’s not forget “the kids”. The U-19s won a third straight league title and could complete their own double. Youth League breakthroughs like Kostoulas and Mouzakitis weren’t just cameos—they were crucial contributors throughout the season. Tzolakis? He’s not just Greece’s future, he’s arguably the club’s present—most consistent player of the year. And Panos Retsos? From “finished” to captain. From concussed to conquering.

It’s a season of stories that belong in folklore.

Konstantis Tzolakis & Panos Retsos celebrate postmatch - Eurokinissi | Georgios Matthaios

FROM SURVIVAL TO STRATEGY: WHAT COMES NEXT?

Olympiacos aren’t just planning for next season—they’re positioned for it.

No summer of chaos. No revolving doors. Two contracts expiring. Four loans to review. A spine built around Greeks, academy prospects, and smart transfers—not panicked overpays. Compare that to the 37 departures (!) last summer and it’s night and day.

This year, we talk about refinement, not reconstruction.

The summer plan? Keep the youth pipeline flowing. Add two or three Champions League-ready pieces—a winger, a midfielder, maybe a center-back. No need to aim for the big name nostalgia signings. Just winners who bleed red and white. As Coach Mendilibar would likely agree: if you don’t want to fight for this club, you don’t belong in Piraeus.

LOOKING AHEAD WITH FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

This wasn’t just a season. It was a reset. A renaissance. A reawakening.

The centenary year delivered what so many thought might never return: pride, passion, and perspective. And while the Champions League next season brings tougher battles, the battle-tested are ready. Olympiacos enter Europe’s biggest stage as Greek champions and believers in their own blueprint.

The road to the top was long. The fall was painful. The climb back? Legendary.

So drink up, Thrylos fans. Light a flare. Sing a chant. You earned it.

PS. This isn’t the end. The Derby of Eternal Enemies away next week to close out the season officially and then… the Greek Cup Final against OFI to complete the double!