Ukraine national team forward Roman Yaremchuk will get the chance to showcase himself in European cup matches as part of Piraeus' Olympiacos. The Greek club is preparing changes to its squad ahead of the start of its Europa League campaign, and, according to reports by the Greek outlet SPORT24, cited by Sport RBC.UA, it is the 30-year-old Ukrainian striker who is set to take the spot in the list that has become available due to an injury to the team's top scorer.
Squad decision: Yaremchuk to take El Kaabi's place
According to the source, Olympiacos' management has already submitted the full package of documents to the UEFA Medical Committee confirming the serious injury of Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi. As a result, the Moroccan's place in the Europa League squad is officially to be taken by Roman Yaremchuk. It is important to note that in the first version of the Piraeus club's list, drawn up by the previous coaching staff, the Ukrainian was not included — his addition is the result of a squad review against the backdrop of personnel losses.
The new head coach's bet
A key role in the decision was played by the team's new head coach, Imanol Alguacil. According to the source, the Spanish specialist places great hopes on the 30-year-old Ukrainian and considers him one of the key players in rebuilding Olympiacos' playing model. In addition to player rotation, the Piraeus club is submitting an updated list of technical staff to UEFA, in which Alguacil himself and his assistants are officially registered. It is worth recalling that the Spanish coach, known for his work with Real Sociedad, took over Olympiacos on September 10 following the resignation of his compatriot José Luis Mendilibar.
Contradictory data
The timeline of reports on Yaremchuk's status in European competitions at various stages looked contradictory. A number of outlets had previously reported that the Ukrainian striker was effectively barred from participating in international matches: in particular, one source indicated that Olympiacos had not included Yaremchuk in the squad for the Champions League match against Neijmegen, while another claimed he would not play in the Europa League. Thus, up to the last moment the positions diverged: some materials recorded the Ukrainian's exclusion from the lists, while others — his ready inclusion. The current version, based on SPORT24's report, explains this reversal with an objective reason — El Kaabi's serious injury and the need for a replacement in the Europa League squad. Until official confirmation by UEFA, both viewpoints remain in focus, and the final status of Yaremchuk's participation in European competitions will depend on the outcome of the Medical Committee's review of the documents.
Nearest benchmark: the match against Jagiellonia
Olympiacos will play its first match in the main round of the Europa League on September 16, when it hosts Poland's Jagiellonia at home. It is this match that may become the first in which Yaremchuk gets the chance to prove himself in a European tournament under the new coaching staff. For the Ukrainian forward, this is an important moment: after being absent from the initial squad, his inclusion means that Alguacil is betting on him in the rebuilt Piraeus playing model.
