Soccer teams shape up

Friendlies and transfers give a taste of the new Super League season

Argentine striker Nacho Scocco shoots to open the scoring for AEK against Arminia Bielefeld in a friendly that finished 1-1 yesterday in Austria.

Greek soccer teams are taking shape ahead of the start of the new season, as their training programs progress and several additions have been made to rosters this week.

Panathinaikos stole the show with the signing of two Brazilians, superstar defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva from Arsenal and right back Gabriel from Fluminense. Some 1,500 fans staged a noisy welcome for Gilberto on Wednesday at Athens Airport.

Henk ten Cate’s team will likely face Dinamo Tbilisi (who took a 3-0 lead in the first leg over Runavik) on July 30 and August 6 in the second qualifying round of the Champions League and showed they are on the right track during their 2-0 friendly win over Banik Ostrava of the Czech Republic on Thursday in Austria.

Champion Olympiakos is in the Netherlands and tonight faces local side Emmen, but has decided to part ways with Congolese striker Lomana LuaLua. The 27-year-old striker is going to Qatar to play for Al-Arabi, although he would have preferred to stay in Piraeus.

Reports have linked the Reds with Uruguay striker Ernesto Javier Chevanton.

AEK is also in Austria, where it drew 1-1 in a friendly against German side Arminia Bielefeld last night. The Greeks led at halftime thanks to a Nacho Scocco strike in the 25th minute, but conceded the equalizer in the 14th minute of the second half.

In Thessaloniki, Aris signed Uruguay international Mario Reguei-ro, who also enjoyed an enthusiastic reception at the local airport this week, while Iraklis has brought over Spanish center forward Kiko Raton.