Olympiakos give Eric Abidal winning send-off

Piraeus: Former French international defender Eric Abidal made what is expected to be his last appearance as a player on Wednesday as his club Olympiakos beat Panionios 2-0 in the Greek Super League. 

Abidal, 35, played the whole 90 minutes as two goals by striker Kostas Mitroglou secured the win for the reigning Greek champions in a match watched by only around 5,000 fans at the Karaiskakis Stadium.

On Friday the former Barcelona star will hold a press conference where he will most likely announce his retirement as an active player.

For the last three months there have been regular reports that Abidal will quit Olympiakos, despite only signing a two-year contract in the summer, and will return to Barcelona to take up a post at the club`s academy.

Abidal left Barcelona in 2013 after recovering from a liver transplant but not being offered a new contract.

He spent six years with the Catalans, but was was first diagnosed with a liver tumour in March 2011 and a year later underwent a transplant.

Capped 67 time by France, he spent last season with Monaco before moving to Olympiakos.