Pre-World Cup 2026 friendlies: Greece-Paraguay, likely lineups

The ‘Georgios Karaiskakis’ stadium in Piraeus hosts an interesting friendly between Greece and Paraguay on Friday night, kicking off at 8 p.m. Italian time. A confrontation between two different visions of soccer, which both teams will use to rotate men and test new tactical solutions. Jovanovic’s Greece wants to restart in front of their public, trying to give continuity to the progress shown in recent outings. On the other side, Paraguay arrives in Europe with the goal of finding the balance that has often been lacking in the South American qualifiers, relying on its experienced leaders to guide the young talent on the launching pad.

Jovanovic’s national team relies on the safety of Vlachodimos between the posts. The defense sees Hatzidiakos and Retsos as central shields, with the thrust of Roma’s Tsimikas on the left flank. The midfield is handled by the strength of Siopis along with the talented young Zafeiris, while in the three-quarter, quality is provided by Masouras, Pelkas and Tzolis, who are tasked with inventing play and serving the lone forward Pavlidis, the true offensive point of reference.

Alfaro’s team responds with a very compact specular set-up. In goal is Gill, protected by the experience of captain Gustavo Gomez (Milan meteor between 2016 and 2018) and the physicality of Velazquez. The midfield consists of Ojeda and Galarza, ready to recover the ball to trigger Sosa’s speed and Miguel Almiron’s sheer talent. Up front, the weight of the attack is all on Sanabria’s shoulders: the Cremonese striker will be ready to take advantage of Diego Gomez’s suggestions.

Probable lineups

GREECE (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Rota, Retsos, Hatzidiakos, Tsimikas; Siopis, Zafeiris; Masouras, Pelkas, Tzolis; Pavlidis. Coach Jovanovic.

PARAGUAY (4-2-3-1): Gill; Benitez, Velazquez, Gustavo Gomez, Caceres; Ojeda, Galarza; Sosa, Diego Gomez, Almiron; Sanabria. All. Alfaro.