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Olympiakos seal record 44th Greek title with win over Giannena

Olympiakos clinched a record 44th Greek league title with a round to spare, and their 19th in the last 21 seasons, after thrashing Giannena 5-0 on Sunday.

Marko Marin, Manuel da Costa and Alberto de la Bella scored for the hosts within eight minutes of each other midway through the first half to give the defending champions a comfortable lead.

De la Bella added his second goal in the 71st minute before Alejandro Dominguez converted a penalty 10 minutes later.

"It has been a strange season but in the end we're the champions and that's what matters," Olympiakos coach Takis Lemonis told reporters.

Lemonis, in his third spell at Olympiakos, was brought in after the dismissal of Paulo Bento in March.

Bento had only been appointed in August after the dismissal of Victor Sanchez early in the season, and Lemonis said the upheaval is "a big problem, especially for the team."

He added: "I have had little time with them but if I managed to change something maybe it was the atmosphere in the dressing room and we managed to hold on to the title -- now we have to try and win the Greek Cup as well."

Second-placed PAOK stayed within six points of Olympiakos by beating host Platanias 3-1 and Panathinaikos, in third, edged Atromitos 1-0.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.