Olympiacos F.C. - Rivalries

Rivalries

Traditionally, Olympiacos' main rival is Panathinaikos and their so-called derby of the eternal enemies is the classic rivalry in the Athens area and Greek football in general. The two teams are the most successful and most popular Greek football clubs, and the rivalry is also indicative of social, cultural and regional differences; Olympiacos is traditionally seen as the classic representative of the working class of the port city of Piraeus, while Panathinaikos is considered the club of the Athenian higher-class society, although nowadays this differentiation has weakened and the two clubs have similar fanbases. Many violent incidents between the fans of the two sides have occurred, like the death of Mihalis Filopoulos, a Panathinaikos fan, in a clash of hooligans supporting the two clubs for a women's volleyball match in 2007.

Another major rival of Olympiacos is AEK Athens, due to their proximity and strong on-pitch rivalry. The rivalry between Olympiacos and PAOK, although PAOK was rarely a primary contestant of Olympiacos, is long-standing, dating back to the 1960s, when Olympiacos negotiated to acquire the player-symbol of PAOK, Giorgos Koudas. Also relies on the rivalry between Athens and Thessaloniki, the country's two major cities. Another rival of Olympiacos used to be Ethnikos Piraeus, the second-most successful club of Piraeus, but the rivalry languished because Ethnikos Piraeus no longer plays in the top tier of Greek football.