Marić makes Olympiacos commitment

Greek champions Olympiacos CFP have awarded Serbo-Montenegrin international midfielder Miloš Marić a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Piraeus until June 2008.

Restricted role
The 23-year-old moved to Greece in the summer of 2004 and played 24 times in the campaign that followed, although he was mainly used as a substitute as Olympiacos claimed the league and Greek cup double, with 19 of his league appearances coming as a substitute. He featured in the club's UEFA Champions League campaign and played in all four of their subsequent UEFA Cup matches, but has again found first-team opportunities hard to come by in the current campaign, appearing in just three league games, all as a substitute, and playing just four minutes against Rosenborg BK as the Greek side finished bottom of UEFA Champions League Group F.

Aims for 2006
Marić, however, has still managed to make the breakthrough at international level since helping Serbia and Montenegro reach the final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2004. He went on to make his debut for the senior side at the Kirin Cup in July of the same year and now has seven caps to his name. "I am very happy to have extended my contract," he said. "The fact that they asked me to stay for two more years means that Olympiacos believe in me. I hope that in 2006 my team will win all the domestic titles and I also wish for us to go further next season in the UEFA Champions League. My dream is to participate in Serbia and Montenegro's squad for the 2006 [FIFA] World Cup, but in order to achieve that I have to play more for my club."