Armando González has tumbled down the pecking order at Olympiacos. The Mexican forward is no longer part of Imanol Alguacil’s preferred starting plans and has been limited to little more than bit-part appearances for the Greek club. His role has steadily diminished since the coaching change.

On Saturday, Olympiacos secured a 2-0 victory over Panetolikos on matchday seven of the Stoiximan Super League. González was introduced in the 80th minute, by which point the result was all but settled.

Who has the No. 9 shirt at Olympiacos?

Since moving to Greece, the former Chivas Guadalajara striker has slipped to third on the depth chart at center forward. The starting No. 9 role currently belongs to Marius Mouandilmadji. The Chad international also arrived in Piraeus during this transfer window and has logged 180 minutes across Olympiacos’ last three matches, which also happened to be his first appearances for the club. He has yet to find the back of the net.

As an alternative to Mouandilmadji, Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk has emerged as another option for the Spanish coach. Yaremchuk, who had fallen out of favor under the previous coaching staff and was effectively on the fringes of the squad before Ayoub El Kaabi’s injury, has been handed starting opportunities in the Europa League. He has accumulated 88 minutes over the team’s last three games.

How many minutes has González played?

At the moment, González does not appear to be Alguacil’s preferred choice at striker. Across the last four matches, he has been on the field for just 23 minutes in total. The Mexican has not been dealing with any physical issues, suggesting that his absence is purely a coaching decision.

Since Alguacil took over at Olympiacos in mid-September, González has played only 143 minutes across three matches. By contrast, during former boss José Luis Mendilibar, the 23-year-old totaled 215 minutes, three goals, and two assists in four appearances.

The reality is that González’s reduced role has not affected Olympiacos’ overall form. The Piraeus outfit currently sits atop the league standings alongside archrival Panathinaikos. The club also remains unbeaten in Europa League play, where it occupies 10th place but is level on points with several teams above it in the table. Overall, Olympiacos is riding a five-game unbeaten streak.

For González, the challenge is clear: make the most of every opportunity, whether it comes in short cameos or extended minutes, and repay that faith with goals that remind his coach of his qualities. He has already proven he can thrive in high-pressure environments, most notably with Chivas, where his goals and attacking contributions earned him significant responsibility.

González’s next chance could come on the European stage, with Olympiacos set to return to continental action this midweek. On Thursday, the Red-Whites play Sparta Prague at 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT.

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