OFI kick off their Super League campaign at home against Volos NFC, buoyed by a confident pre-season win. Volos have historically struggled in Crete, winning only three of ten visits, and arrive under a new manager with an untested lineup. The last three meetings were tight, with…
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Sign inOFI welcome Volos NFC to their home ground on Sunday 23 August 2026 (17:30 local time) for the opening round of the 2026-27 Greek Super League 1 season. The hosts enter the campaign as holders of the Greek Cup and Super Cup, having built a taste for silverware in recent months, while Volos aim to disrupt the party from the first whistle.
Christos Kontis’s side are in the middle of a Europa League play‑off tie against CSKA Sofia, having contested the first leg on 20 August. With the decisive return leg scheduled for 27 August, this domestic curtain‑raiser is anything but a routine assignment. OFI have recently deployed a 3‑4‑2‑1 shape that asks plenty of the two wing‑backs, and that system is likely to be rotated heavily to keep legs fresh for the midweek European test. The coaches will have to weigh every minute on the pitch against the bigger picture of a potential group‑stage place.
Nikos Marinakis remains a concern. The right‑sided defender was left out of the Europa League squad and has been undergoing therapy after an injury problem that flared up in mid‑August. He is unlikely to be risked so close to the return leg, which reduces Kontis’s options on the right of the back three. No fresh injuries have been reported for Volos NFC, who travel with a clean bill of health and a full squad to choose from.
Volos finished last season safely in mid‑table and return with an experienced core that knows how to make life uncomfortable for more fancied opponents. They will sense an opportunity against a team that may have one eye on Europe, and their ability to stay compact and break at pace could expose any gaps left by an offensive wing‑back system.
The hosts’ formation naturally pushes the widemen high. If OFI lose possession while both flanks are committed forward, the visitors have forwards who can quickly exploit the space behind. Volos’s direct approach could test the concentration of a rejigged home defence, and the central midfield duel will determine how often those transitions happen.
OFI will hope to bank an opening‑day win without sapping too much energy before they turn their focus back to the Europa League. A strong start here would provide valuable momentum, but Kontis will already have one eye on the return leg in Sofia.
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