Olympiacos 1-0 AEK: Gelson’s Spark, El Kaabi’s Killer Instinct Deliver Title No. 48 Amid Late Chaos | OneFootball

Olympiacos vs Aek 1-0 Celebrations: Giorgos Matthaios/EUROKINISSI

As fireworks lit the skies over Piraeus, Olympiacos fans once again found themselves celebrating a familiar feeling: champions of Greece. Sunday night’s 1-0 victory over AEK Athens secured a record-extending 48th domestic title for the club, and marked a moment of redemption after a two-year drought that saw rivals rise and internal questions grow louder.

It was not a vintage display from José Luis Mendilibar’s side, but it didn’t need to be. In a match high on stakes and tension but low on clear-cut opportunities, it was a flash of inspiration from the night’s standout performer, Gelson Martins, that proved decisive. The Portuguese winger tormented AEK’s defensive structure with his bursts of pace and unpredictability throughout, and it was his perfectly timed low cross that found Ayoub El Kaabi at the near post in the 55th minute.

The Moroccan striker, sometimes criticised for patches of inconsistency, once again demonstrated why he remains indispensable. A single touch was all it took — 24th goal of the season, 29th direct contribution — a return that validates the faith placed in him despite recent fitness issues. El Kaabi’s instinctive movement and composure sealed the points and, with them, the title.

Olympiacos entered the match with a cautious lineup that raised eyebrows. With only two natural attacking players on the pitch — El Kaabi and Martins — the team’s intent appeared more about containment than expression. Mendilibar’s midfield, anchored by Santiago Hezze and supported by a disciplined shift from Chiquinho on the left, effectively stifled AEK’s creative transitions, limiting the visitors to just a single shot all match.

At the back, Panos Retsos and David Carmo provided a composed and commanding presence. Retsos, in particular, reminded fans of the player he was once projected to be — sharp in positioning, aggressive in duels, and leading the back line with authority.

For all of Olympiacos’s restraint in the first half (they registered an expected goals tally of just 0.06), the tactical gamble paid off. AEK were smothered. Matías Almeyda’s once-celebrated fluidity was nowhere to be found. The side that dominated Olympiacos in key encounters last season appeared rudderless, their diamond midfield neutralised, their strikers isolated.

What could have been a night solely defined by triumph was marred, however, by scenes after the final whistle that reflected poorly on AEK’s camp. Multiple red cards were issued — including to Anthony Martial, Makoudi, and Almeyda himself — following a chaotic fracas sparked by a reckless headbutt from Lamela. What followed was a mass clearing of the benches, punches thrown, and an atmosphere of disdain that starkly contrasted the gravity of the occasion.

The hostility, rather than reflecting the passion of a wounded challenger, felt more like a cynical attempt to derail Olympiacos’s moment. It failed. The hosts lifted the trophy amid the noise, but the symbolism was unmistakable: this was not just another title — it was a reclaiming of their place at the summit of Greek football.

Mendilibar, in just his first full season at the helm, now has his maiden top-flight championship. The team, which has often looked like a work in progress, found its winning edge when it mattered most. A domestic double remains on the table, with the Greek Cup final looming, and entry into next season’s Champions League appears nearly assured.

The difference between Olympiacos and their rivals is now measured not only in points but in vision and infrastructure. With elite talents like Panagiotis Retsos and homegrown gems such as Charalambos Kostoulas and Konstantinos Mouzakitis drawing attention across Europe, the club is positioned for sustainable success — both at home and abroad.

AEK, by contrast, face a sobering offseason. With an aging squad, no clear attacking identity, and a manager whose temperament may be as much a liability as an asset, their path forward is murky. The late-match meltdown wasn’t just unsportsmanlike — it was emblematic of a club unprepared for the moment.

As for Olympiacos, they now look ahead to completing the double and reasserting their presence on Europe’s biggest stage. This title, their 48th, may not be remembered for the flair of the performance — but it will be remembered for its weight, its context, and the calm defiance with which it was earned, even amidst chaos.

“Losers go home,” one fan quipped as AEK trudged off the pitch. In Piraeus, winners stay — and celebrate.