Aris announced on Tuesday the hiring of famous Argentine soccer manager Hector Raul Cuper on a one-year contract. The former Valencia and Inter coach is replacing Brazilian Iomar Mazinho, the seventh Super League manager to go so far this season. Cuper raised some eyebrows in Thessaloniki with his statement to the official Aris radio station that even though his new club lies some 11 points off the top, «we will turn things around and win the title.» Aris has never won a Greek title since the formation of the top division in 1959-60.

Rhodes Colossi lead the Greek rugby championship after three rounds following its victory over the Spartans 60-22 in Athens. The islanders scored 10 tries to add this victory to its upsetting of the champion, Athens, earlier this season. The latter defeated the Attica Springboks 36-12 away. In the Thessaloniki derby Iraklis downed Macedones Evosmos 26-22 away to move up to third in the table with six points, one behind Athens and three behind Colossi.

Negotiations between the current owners of AEK soccer club and Chicago-based construction magnate Bob Kozonis continue as the latter endeavors to acquire a controlling stake in the financially challenged club. Kozonis's associate Giorgos Prassas stated yesterday that the man nicknamed «Bob the Builder» in Greece is prepared to pay out as much as 100 million euros for AEK in order to take the Athens side to the top.

In its fourth match in the Champions League group stage, Greek handball champion PAOK lost to Romania's Constanta 30-26 in Thessaloniki yesterday. PAOK, a debutant in the competition, has yet to register its first win in the group.