Greece Vs Finland

On Saturday, Greece will face Finland at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus for the inaugural match of the new UEFA Nations League season.

This fixture marks Greece's debut in League B, a significant step up following their promotion from League C in the previous campaign, which concluded in 2022.

Match Preview

Greece's Tasos Bakasetas celebrates on March 21, 2024 © Imago

The Greek national team embarks on a new chapter after enduring yet another setback in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Their campaign ended in disappointment as they were defeated by Georgia, a team making its debut in a major tournament, in the playoff stages.

With Gus Poyet dismissed, the Greek Football Federation has appointed Ivan Jovanovic as the new head coach. Jovanovic's task is to break the cycle of failed qualifications that has plagued Greece since their last successful campaign in 2014.

This upcoming match highlights Greece's significant fall from grace. It will be the first time they have competed in the second tier of the Nations League since the competition's inception, a fact that underscores their struggles. The Greek team required three attempts to secure promotion from League C. In 2018, they finished behind both Finland and Hungary. Their performance in 2020 saw them miss out once again, this time behind Slovenia. It was only in the most recent iteration that they finally emerged victorious in a group that included Kosovo, Northern Ireland, and Cyprus.

The current situation of the Greek national team bears some resemblance to the early 2000s. Back then, Otto Rehhagel took over a team in disarray and led them to European Championship glory just three years later. While a repeat of that remarkable achievement seems unlikely, the success of Olympiacos in the Conference League might offer a spark of hope. The Greek national team could draw inspiration from this success, especially with a few Olympiacos players currently part of the national setup.

Finland's Oliver Antman celebrates on June 7, 2024 © Imago

The presence of England in the same group complicates the path for the other teams, including Greece and Finland. Should the Three Lions approach this campaign with more seriousness than in previous editions, the chances for promotion for the remaining teams might be slim.

Finland, which won promotion to League B in 2018 by finishing ahead of Greece, has managed to maintain its position at this level. The Finnish team has often punched above its weight, and they will likely aim to do so again this season.

Under the guidance of Markku Kanerva, Finland earned a playoff spot for Euro 2024 due to their performance in the previous Nations League. However, their Euro 2024 dreams were swiftly crushed with a heavy 4-1 defeat against Wales in Cardiff, missing the chance to qualify for consecutive European Championships.

Despite this setback, Finland has shown resilience in away matches, winning seven of their last 13 competitive away games and keeping five clean sheets. Their approach, however, has not been overly cautious. In June, they faced a 4-2 loss in Portugal and a 2-2 draw against Scotland, highlighting a pattern of adventurous, if sometimes vulnerable, gameplay.

As both teams prepare to kick off their Nations League campaigns, the match at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium promises to be an intriguing encounter, setting the tone for their journeys in this new cycle of the competition.