Paulo Bento

Experienced Greek coach Takis Lemonis has been appointed for a third time as head coach of Olympiakos, the Super League champion said on Thursday.

The 57-year-old, who coached the Piraeus club from 2000-2002 and again from 2006-2008, replaces the sacked Portuguese Paulo Bento, who departed earlier this month after a poor string of results.

Besiktas took a deserved 1-1 draw in Piraeus on Thursday leaving Olympiakos with a mountain to climb in the return leg seven nights later if it is to advance to the quarterfinals of the Europa League.

Beşiktaş, Turkey's sole remaining representative in European competitions, will visit Aegean neighbor Olympiacos in the first leg of a Europa League round of 16 matchup on March 9. 

Just seven days after Olympiakos raised its shield of protection for its manager Paulo Bento, on Monday the champion announced the sacking of the former Portugal coach in the aftermath of the 2-0 defeat at PAOK on Sunday.

Under-20 team coach Vassilis Vouzas is taking over on a caretaking basis, the club added.

PAOK extended Olympiakos's losing streak to three games in the Super League, beating the leader 2-0 in Thessaloniki and giving fresh interest to the championship.

Could rank outsider Panionios dispute Olympiakos's supremacy in the Super League? On Sunday it proved it can, as it defeated the champion 1-0 in Piraeus to cut the distance from the top to seven points with eight games left to play.

Olympiakos needs 10 wins from its 13 remaining games in the Super League to mathematically clinch its seventh consecutive title after downing second-placed Xanthi at home on Saturday.

Olympiakos came from behind to beat Panetolikos at home and increase its lead at the top of the Super League table to nine points on Sunday, as Panathinaikos drew at Larissa and was joined by Xanthi at the second spot.

Olympiakos restored its seven-point lead at the top of the Super League on Monday downing ambitious PAS Giannina 2-0 away in a quite convincing performance against its 10-man host at Ioannina. On the same day it found out it will face Osmanlispor in the Europa League, while PAOK will come up against Schalke.

Fernando Santos, who led Greece to the last 16 of the World Cup in Brazil, has been appointed Portugal's new head coach, the FPF announced on Tuesday.