Into the channels: 18/12/2014

Skoda Xanthi 4 - 2 Panathinaikos

This Xanthi team have been owned by a Greek Skoda importer since 1991. Their opponents this afternoon sit 3rd in the Greek Super League, boast the second biggest fan base of any team in Greece, and are also one of the most successful. Though having said that, Xanthi's sole European foray - in which they played Middlesborough, who were on their way to a UEFA Cup final - is a bit easier to recall. Because Middlesborough were playing a team named after Skoda. Meanwhile, Panathinaikos are one of two fan-owned clubs in Greece, and their fans won respect around the world earlier this year when they decided to start a war with the notorious fascist party Golden Dawn.

To business. Another addition to the list of players I don't rate: all Greek defenders. Including Croatian ones that play in Greece, like Gordon Schildenfeld, currently playing alongside fellow Croats Danijel Pranjic and Mladen Petric for Athens' greenest team, Panathinaikos. He was just one of the culprits - there were plenty on both sides - of a host of rash clearances and stupid passes.

It was some crappy green Pan-Athenian defending that allowed Soltani to score a simple header for the home side in the 3rd minute.

The Panathinaikos fans travelled in force

But they were disillusioned early on, as an unmarked Dimitris Goutas headed home from a badly defended corner

Xanthi's second came from Theodoros Vasilakakis, who looped over former Barnsley keeper Luke Steele after the home side had had 3 shots blocked

A minute later, Nikolaos Karelis turns past his man, and flicks a shot low and to the keeper's left, reducing the deficit to just one goal

Soltani (in the middle) hits the pass from former Panathinaikos man Cleyton wide, in one of those it-would-have-been-easier-to-score moments

Karim Soltani, on the left, flicks the ball onto the floor, and it bounces over Luke Steele, and into the net for 3-1

Soltani throws himself to the ground in an awkward-looking celebration

Petric: should have kicked the ball, rather than the goalkeeper

A defence-splitting pass finds Pantelis Kapetanos, who makes it 4-1

Kapetanos celebrates with the 'XanthiFans', who look just as shocked as I am at how easy it was for Soltani's ball to get through the slow Panathinaikos defence

Four-two (from) the floor: Karelis' second (and it also opened up for him far, far too easily)

One of the worst passes I have ever seen: this Panathinaikos player passed a free kick on the left flank directly to an opponent

Kapetanos nearly made it 5, hitting the post with 10 minutes to go

Xanthi saw the game out, which is more than I can say for myself

Málaga CF 4 - 1 Deportivo de La Coruña

This is the third match between these sides in 3 days. Which is a lot of travel. The first leg of this Copa del Rey tie ended in a 1-1 draw in La Coruna, whereas the league fixture was a 0-1 win for Malaga. Both these sides have flirted with Europe in recent seasons.

Tonight, Malaga start with Helder Postiga up front, whilst Deportivo have the slightly-less-underwhelming-in-England Roque Santa Cruz leading their line. Both sides picked a fair few 'fringe' players for this game, such as Depor's long-serving 38 year old midfielder Manuel Pablo. The visitors set up with 3/5 at the back, and defended very deep, in a drab first half that Malaga controlled.

Samu Garcia, Malaga's right winger, was the one bright spark in the first period

Santa Cruz's back post header is saved by German Lux, whose career in Europe hasn't quite reached the heights it promised to whilst he was at River

I was sent out at half time to get bread and milk for the house. I came back in, and this was the scene:

Malaga's Recio had just made it 2-1 on the night, meaning the tie would be decided within 90 minutes (thanks to the away goals rule)

A Santa Cruz header - his second of the night - from a Nordin Amrabat cross meant that Depor needed 3 goals to win the game

It was a great cross from the Moroccan Galatasary loanee, and an equally precise header

Right at the end, Malaga made it 4-1 on the night - and 5-2 on aggregate - thanks to a cross from Roberto Rosales, who was excellent pushing forwards from right-back (playing behind Samu), which found Amrabat; though Lux pushed his shot onto the bar, Jose Camacho was on hand to tap home

Although I didn't see much from Malaga's younger players tonight, they were easily the stronger side throughout, and so this could be a good season for the side currently sitting 7th in La Liga. They will play Levante in the next round, whilst Depor will hopefully be doing some attacking training.