Olympiacos B return with an immediate measuring stick

There could hardly be a more useful first test for the relaunched Olympiacos B project. An away match against PAOK B at Toumba offers an immediate indication of where the young Olympiacos squad stands against another academy/reserve structure built around producing senior-level players.

The venue adds significance. Rather than beginning in a low-profile setting, Olympiacos B walk directly into one of Greece's major football stadiums in a televised game.

Reserve football is not merely about collecting points. Olympiacos need players capable of eventually handling the pressure, physicality and tactical speed demanded by José Luis Mendilibar's senior side. A difficult away opener provides exactly that type of environment. The larger strategic change is the league itself.

Super League 2 is moving into a single 16-team table, meaning Olympiacos B will face a broader range of established senior opposition rather than being sheltered inside a regional group. For talent evaluation, that may be an advantage. Young center-backs will face experienced strikers. Midfielders will be tested against physically mature professionals. Attackers will have fewer easy spaces than in academy football. That makes this season potentially far more valuable as a bridge between the U19 side and Olympiacos' first team.

And we now know exactly when that process begins.