Manolas, Sokratis left out of Ethniki squad; Bakasetas returns



John van ‘t Schip has named his squad to play Italy and Bosnia in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, leaving Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Kostas Manolas and Andreas Samaris out of the team as expected.

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With Greece virtually out of the running for Euro 2020 qualification, Van ‘t Schip has decided to begin building the team for the future, notably leaving Manolas, Papastathopoulos, Samaris, Kostas Mitroglou and Vasilis Torosidis out of the team. However, if reports in the media are to be believed, Manolas and Papastathopoulos have been assured that they will return to the Greek national team for matches which hold more competitive meaning. Van ‘t Schip wants to see what the younger players are capable of in matches which aren’t decisive.

Alanyaspor pair Manolis Siopis and Tasos Bakasetas have earned a return to the Ethniki Omada, Panathinaikos goalkeeper Sokratis Dioudis has taken the place of PAOK’s Alexandros Paschalakis, Panagiotis Retsos of Bayer Leverkusen is in the team and AZ Alkmaar defender Pantelis Hatzidiakos has also been given a chance.

Deportivo centre-back Vasilis Lampropoulos and gifted AEK midfielder Konstantinos Galanopoulos are other notable inclusions.

Here is the full Greek national team squad to play Italy in Rome (12/10) and Bosnia in Athens (15/10):

Goalkeepers: Vasilis Barkas (AEK), Odisseas Vlachodimos (Benfica), Sokratis Dioudis (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Michalis Bakakis (AEK), Dimitris Giannoulis (PAOK), Dimitris Siovas (Leganes), Konstantinos Tsimikas (Olympiacos), Kostas Stafylidis (Hoffenheim), Pantelis Hatzidiakos (AZ Alkmaar), Vasilis Lampropoulos (Deportivo), Panagiotis Retsos (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Manolis Siopis (Alanyaspor), Dimitris Kourbelis (Panathinaikos), Carlos Zeca (FC Copenhagen), Andreas Bouchalakis (Olympiacos), Marios Vrousai (Willem II), Konstantinos Galanopoulos (AEK), Petros Mantalos (AEK), Giorgos Masouras (Olympiacos), Tasos Bakasetas (Alanyaspor), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Aris), Dimitris Limnios (PAOK).

Forwards: Efthymis Koulouris (Toulouse), Vangelis Pavlidis (Willem II), Anastasios Donis (Reims).

Greece currently occupy fifth position of Group J with five points from six games. Second-placed Finland are seven points ahead.