PAOK will face Maccabi Tel Aviv in their first match of the UEFA Europa League season. The game is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, at 18:45 Central European Time. Here’s an overview of the matchup.
PAOK vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Match Preview
PAOK secured their place in the Europa League with strong performances. They defeated Wolfsberg 1-0 in the third qualifying round and dominated Rijeka 5-1 in the playoff round. In the Greek Super League, PAOK started the season well with three consecutive wins: 1-0 over Larisa, 1-0 against Atromitos, and 2-1 versus OFI Crete. However, they drew 0-0 with Panetolikos in their fourth match. In the Greek Cup, PAOK lost 1-4 to Levadiakos in their first match but still have more games ahead to improve their standing.
Maccabi Tel Aviv has also had a good start in the Israeli Premier League, winning three out of four matches and scoring four goals overall. In their most recent match, they won 2-1 against Hapoel Jerusalem, accumulating 12 points from four games. Maccabi started their season in Champions League qualifying but lost 1-2 to Pafos. They recovered by beating Hamrun Spartans and Dynamo Kyiv to reach the group stage of the Europa League. Last season, Maccabi participated in the Europa League but did not advance to the playoffs, finishing 29th in the coefficient rankings.
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- PAOK has not won in their last two matches.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv is on a four-game winning streak.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv has scored at least two goals in their last four matches.
- PAOK is unbeaten at home in 11 consecutive matches.
- These teams have met two times before, with Maccabi winning both—2-1 and 1-0—in 2004.
Probable Line-Ups
- PAOK: Pavlenka, Joan Sastre, Baba Rahman, Kedziora, Lovren, Meite, Ozdoev, Pelkas, Taison, Giakoumakis, Zivkovic
- Maccabi Tel Aviv: Mishpati, Revivo, Kamara, Asante, Heitor, Sissoko, Peretz, Belic, Davida, Jehezkel, Madmon
Prediction
At home, PAOK has shown strong performance, presenting a good chance for them to start their Europa League campaign with a win. The prediction favors the Greek side in this match.