Panathinaikos excluded Michael Essien from their Champions League playoff squad in order not to risk the Ghanaian to injury.
The former Chelsea star is still streets off to gaining 100% fitness following his arrival on a two-year contract.
Essien has been training with his new club since late June but is yet to reach optimum fitness.
He was not part of the side’s 2-1 defeat to Lokomotiva Zagreb in their opening leg of the Champions League playoff on Thursday.
The club have now revealed the Ghanaian remain very much part of their plans in Europe but wouldn’t want to risk him now.
Essien joined Panathinakos as a free agent after his contract with AC Milan expired in the summer.