Australian Greeks Extremely Nervous About Tomorrow

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Hellenic Australians around the country are growing exceedingly anxious about the Socceroos opening match against Turkey.

While most Australians are treating the fixture as a standard World Cup group game, thousands of Greek Australian football fans admit it feels like one of the biggest cultural grudge matches of their lives.

"I've spent my whole life supporting Australia and Greece, but the moment I saw we were playing Turkey my blood pressure jumped about 40 points" explained Marrickville resident George Papadopoulos.

"My dad called me when we got them in our group."

"He just said 'we must win' Then he hung up."

George says the family group chat, usually reserved for arguing about dinner plans, has transformed into a sports analysis chat/cultural hang ups coping session with references to events dating back several centuries.

"It's like every uncle has suddenly become a football analyst and amateur historian simultaneously."

Local Greek cafés reported customers spending hours discussing Australia's preferred formation before the conversation inevitably drifted toward the Ottoman Empire, Cyprus and why Turkey doesn't have a real culture.

"It's actually the perfect storm," said one taverna owner.

"Normally we just want Australia to win. Tomorrow we also really, really don't want Turkey to."

Many Greek-Australian households are expected to spend tomorrow evening supporting Australia with an intensity usually reserved for Greece itself.