Olympiacos hope for home help against Schalke

Olympiacos FC coach Leonardo Jardim is eager for his side to make the most of home advantage in their Group B opener against FC Schalke 04 at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. The visitors to Athens, meanwhile, may be wary of the threat posed by their hosts but Huub Stevens has faith in his own charges.

Olympiacos
Coach Leonardo Jardim
It will be a very intense match. We must use our stadium and our supporters to our advantage in the group phase because our home ground is a very powerful weapon for us. Every team is very strong and we must be balanced and focused.

It will be an even match tomorrow. [Schalke] have very good players, we have a strong team ethic. Schalke are very good at set pieces and are well organised, so we must rely on our own strengths. Olympiacos have a good record against German teams but that won't mean that much tomorrow. However, it is good that we have this history.

Weekend result
Saturday: PAS Giannina FC 1-2 Olympiacos (Georgiou 68; Mitroglou 60, Djebbour 67)
Carroll; Papazoglou, Manolas, Siovas, Holebas; Ibagaza, Modesto, Greco (Mitroglou 58); Abdoun (Fuster 73), Djebbour (Fejsa 85), Machado.

• Kostas Mitroglou opened the scoring just two minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute as Olympiacos won their third league game out of three this season.

Team news
Giannis Maniatis has fully recovered from a right calf injury and Pablo Contreras is in the squad after he shook off a groin injury. Also returning to action is full-back Vassilis Torossidis, who was rested for the Giannina win.

Schalke
Coach Huub Stevens
We have seven points from three games in the German league so things are, so far, going well for us. I can't say what I expect from the game tomorrow. Both clubs have just started the season. I know that Olympiacos have changed since last season, but for them to be here, it means they are a very good side. However, I will just look at my team to see what they can do.

We were thrilled to have qualified for the UEFA Champions League, but that is over now. Now things finally get started, and we are looking forward to a very demanding group. We know how strong Olympiacos are at home. You only have to take a look at their past home matches against German teams to see that.

The past doesn't count. The game starts at 0-0. Raúl [González] was very important for us but the team cannot rely on one player.

Weekend result
Saturday: SpVgg Greuther Fürth 0-2 Schalke (Draxler 48, Holtby 88)
Unnerstall; Höwedes, Papadopoulos, Matip, Fuchs (Kolasinac 90+1); Neustädter, Jones, Afellay (Farfán 67), Holtby, Draxler (Barnetta 85); Huntelaar.

• Sead Kolasinac made his Bundesliga debut after coming on as a late substitute.

Team news
Japan defender Atsuto Uchida should be back in contention after he missed the weekend's 2-0 win with a light knock. Jefferson Farfán's European experience is expected to win him a place back in the starting XI.

Match fact
The Greek club have enjoyed some remarkable home games against German teams, including a 6-2 victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League first group stage and a 4-0 defeat by Hamburger SV in the 1982/83 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round.