PAOK face multiple injury concerns ahead of Olympiacos derby

PAOK head coach Alessio Lisi faces significant selection issues before the away derby against Olympiacos at Karaiskakis Stadium. Midfielder Dimitris Pelkas has been ruled out for approximately one month after undergoing arthroscopic knee cleaning because previous conservative therapies did not yield results. Defender Giannis Michailidis is also extremely unlikely to feature as he continues rehabilitation for a grade one-to-two adductor strain, with his return logically expected only after the upcoming league break.

Further complications arose during the recent victory over Asteras Tripolis when striker Serif Ndiaye was forced off due to knee discomfort from a blow sustained after opening the scoring. Winger Taison also experienced discomfort during the pre-match warm-up and was consequently unavailable to replace Ndiaye. The medical staff will reassess both players in forthcoming training sessions to determine if they can travel to Faliro for the derby.

Amidst the negative updates, there is cautious optimism regarding midfielder Tom Lucey. The French player has intensified his individual training program over the past week. Coach Alessio Lisi indicated that while Lucey remains a borderline case, he personally believes the midfielder will be ready for selection against Olympiacos. These new doubts compound existing long-term absences for Meite, Sarris, Chalov, Ali and Pavlenka.