When history unfolds in words and images before our eyes, then feelings become overwhelming! When 40 championship trophies, including this campaign’s special one, are being raised on the air of our sacred stadium, “G. Karaiskakis”, then emotions get the best of us!
“G. Karaiskakis” stadium became filled with trophies, memories and bits of history written in golden letters, throughout the glorious course of our club…
This year’s Championship title award to our Olympiacos came along with a beautiful fiesta, a retrospect in the past, the course from then until today and the 4th star on our jersey! And all that, under the eyes of the “laurel-crowned adolescent” gazing the shining future ahead…
Right after the end of the match against Panionios, the lights were dimmed… the crowd became restless. The host of our great celebration, Christos Ferentinos, appeared on the pitch of “G. Karaiskakis” to introduce and take us with him in this journey through time!
The future is here!
He welcomed the fans to the fiesta by announcing… the future! He made reference to the championship title that was mathematically won yesterday. He also mentioned the frantic course of the club up to the elite of European teams until the top 8! Europe was lost for words with our club’s U20 team that featured successfully in Next Gen Series competition and the crowd, following Mr. Ferentinos prompt, welcomed joyfully the team on the pitch with a very warm applause!
Mr Stork, his assistants, the young star-champions of the U20 team, lined up and all eyes stared at the stadium matrix screen, in which, by means of a short video, the accomplishments of this legendary youth team were displayed once again… then, our club’s U20s left the pitch and the celebration took on again…
The journey begins…
Young Kostantinos, a fan of Olympiacos since his early days, appeared on the grass of “G. Karaiskakis”. The young boy set out for a journey in time, starting from 1954, a year both far and close to us at the same time; the year of Olympiacos first star following the club’s establishment in 1925 and first championship title in 1931.
When little Kostantinos got there, he found Ilias Rossidis waiting for him! Olympiacos legendary captain of that era! They both turned their eyes to the matrix screens and watched along with the fans a video displaying in the best possible way the historic course of Olympiacos first ten championship titles!
Glorious Olympiacos…
Moved as they were, our club fans gave a warm applause as history would unravel before their eyes and little Kostantinos continued his journey in time, on his way to the 2nd star in 1975. This was where he met great Giannis Gkaitatzis, our captain and player with most appearances, who led our Olympiacos to its 2nd star!
Both of them, together with the crowd, watched a beautiful video on the history of Olympiacos showing how the most popular Greek team of all would advance through time conquering all titles on its path! So, we all arrived at 1975 and young Kostantinos resumed his journey to his next stop…
Legend of the pitch, Olympiacos!
The 2001 star was lit and that was the year of magic! Our heart’s dribbler, Giovanni Silva de Oliveira, was waiting for him! The crowd shivered and stood on its feet applauding in exaltation for “el mago” (the magician), who returned it warmly for the bottom of his heart!
The video displayed then demonstrated faithfully the era of the “stone years”, a time that no fan of Olympiacos should forget, so that he can still feel proud of what he has lived following those years and even nowadays; so that he can keep on dreaming of the things to come! Because the greatest club in Greece goes on for more…
Forty championship titles and we still go on…
Once the vided ended, the magician Gio was praised again and young Kostantinos, wearing number “7” on his back, resumed his path to the present! In 2013; a year of historic proportions, since our legendary side would raise up high its 40th championship cup!
Young Kostantinos was expected there by this year’s squad and one of the dearest players to all Olympiacos fans, Avraam Papadopoulos! The whole stadium cheered in tribute of our team’s “soul”, singing his name and the latter, together with the young boy who had traveled in time, watched the last video.
Reality as we all experience it is tough but nothing daunts us. All us, all Greeks, all Olympiacos supporters, have learnt to fight and never to yield. That video was about Mr Vaggelis Marinakis taking on the club’s presidency from Mr. Socratis Kokkalis and the difficult task to preserve such a huge empire! Our President, in these three years of his office, counts an equal number of championship titles, ensuring that Olympiacos remains healthy, robust and financially independent! A accomplishment no less than remarkable…
A runway paved… in trophies!
The great moment was coming closer… The people was looking forward to seeing the TROPHY-FILLED GLORY OF OUR OLYMPIACOS… And there it was. All four legendary players and Kostantinos exited and 39 young stars from Olympiacos Football Academy entered holding each one of our LEGEND’s previous 39 trophies!
They lined them on a custom-built runway, extending from the tunnel until the center of the pitch, where a unique stage was lying. Mr. Ferentinos invited Super League Chairman, Mr. Giannis Moralis, to bring the cup for the 40th championship on the podium before the stage…
Our President, Mr. Vaggelis Marinakis came out first, followed by the club’s Vice President, Mr. Savvas Theodoridis, together with head coach Mr. MÍchel and the coaching staff. Then, followed, entering in small groups, our side players, the big stars, together with those heroes of the background, i.e. medical team, physiotherapists, kit takers, etc. They all made their way to the center walking on “trophy-marked” runway!
Once they all received their medals and climbed on the stage, the time has arrived! Mr. Moralis handed the champion trophy to Mr. Marinakis and our President came up on the stage, next to Avraam Papadopoulos and all players, under our favorite Queen song that has marked so many Olympiacos celebrations…
When the music volume went up, it meant it was about time. Starting from the one at the tunnel, all 39 trophies were wave-like raised until the one before the 40th one! Then, Mr. Marinakis and Avraam Papadopoulos raised the 40th championship trophy high in the sky of “G. Karaiskakis” stadium! The crowd burst into cheers on the stands, so did the players, Mr. MÍchel, his assistants, the stuff, and all those who strained this year to paint this title also in our favorite “red-and-white” colors! Fireworks lighted up the skies in Piraeus, “G. Karaiskakis” stadium, Profitis Ilias hill and our hearts…
What followed was not new. The typical frame with the “OLYMPIACOS: GREECE CHAMPION 2012-2013” writing and the commemorative photo, the TRIUMPH around the pitch, pure glorification… The fans felt the pride, players thanked them in their own way and everyone promised to do everything possible to bring the Greek Cup home as well. The 16th DOUBLE in our club’s history lays ahead and there 2 fixtures left to do so… But all in good time…
For the time being, OUR OLYMPIACOS IS CELEBRATING FOR THOSE THAT OTHER MAY ONLY DREAM OF!
