Preview: Celta Vigo vs PAOK – prediction, group information, lineups

One step away from the spherical of 16, Celta Vigo return dwelling to Balaidos Stadium on Thursday night to face PAOK within the decisive second leg of their Europa League playoff tie.

The Spanish facet maintain a slim lead from the primary leg, leaving PAOK with a deficit to overturn if they’re to progress.

Match preview

Celta Vigo have a priceless alternative to complete the job at dwelling, having already taken management of the tie with a hard-fought 2-1 victory within the first leg.

The Sky Blues enter this contest in encouraging kind, recording two wins, two attracts and only one defeat from their final 5 matches throughout all competitions.

Their most up-to-date home outing noticed them declare a snug 2-0 victory over Mallorca, persevering with their sturdy run of kind.

Claudio Giraldez’s facet gathered 13 factors in the course of the Europa League league part, registering 4 wins, one draw and three defeats from eight matches, which was sufficient to safe their place within the knockout playoffs.

Their performances at Balaidos have been notably spectacular, with three wins from 4 European dwelling matches, suggesting they’re properly outfitted to deal with the stress of a decisive second leg.

The first-leg victory in Greece not solely provides Celta a numerical benefit but in addition a psychological edge, as they demonstrated their capability to handle tough moments away from dwelling.

Giraldez has introduced construction to his facet, with Celta at the moment sitting sixth in La Liga, underlining their progress this season.

Their Europa League kind stays barely inconsistent, with two wins, one draw and two defeats from their final 5 matches within the competitors, leaving room for warning.

© Imago / Orange Pictures

PAOK, in the meantime, arrive in Spain with work to do after struggling a disappointing first-leg defeat on dwelling soil.

The White-Blacks have struggled for consistency in current weeks, managing only one win from their final 5 matches throughout all competitions, alongside three attracts and one defeat.

Their most up-to-date outing led to a 1-1 draw towards AE Larissa, a outcome that does little to construct momentum forward of such a vital European fixture.

In the league part, PAOK amassed 12 factors from three wins, three attracts and two defeats.

Their away document in Europe has been a priority, with only one win from 4 matches, alongside one draw and two defeats, highlighting their struggles exterior Thessaloniki.

Razvan Lucescu faces a big tactical problem, notably after seeing his facet fall brief at dwelling within the first leg.

The Romanian coach should discover a stability between attacking urgency and defensive stability, as PAOK want targets whereas additionally avoiding conceding additional.

Their current Europa League kind, which incorporates one win, two attracts and two defeats from their final 5 matches, suggests a facet that has lacked consistency at key moments.

The head-to-head document favours Celta Vigo, who’ve received each earlier conferences between the edges, giving them an extra psychological benefit heading into this decisive encounter.

Celta Vigo Europa League kind:

Celta Vigo kind (all competitions):

PAOK Europa League kind:

PAOK kind (all competitions):

Team News

Celta Vigo might be with out Alvaro Nunez, who’s a doubt as a consequence of a groin damage, whereas Carl Starfelt can also be battling a calf drawback and will not function.

Franco Cervi stays sidelined with a muscle damage, and Hugo Sotelo is unavailable with an ankle difficulty, though he’s anticipated to return in early March.

Pablo Duran is one other confirmed absentee for the hosts, with the ahead dominated out as a consequence of a knee damage.

In aim, Ivan Radu is predicted to start out, with Joseph Aidoo and Marcos Alonso forming the central defensive partnership.

Oscar Mingueza and Ilaix Moriba are prone to function in midfield, whereas Iago Aspas will lead the assault alongside Borja Iglesias and Williot Swedberg.

PAOK, in the meantime, might be with out Andrija Zivkovic, who’s suspended after accumulating three yellow playing cards.

Dejan Lovren is dominated out with a medial collateral ligament damage, whereas Dimitrios Pelkas can also be unavailable as a consequence of a knock.

Goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka is sidelined with a chest damage, and Kiril Despodov is out with a muscle drawback.

Luka Ivanusec and Soualiho Meite are additionally unavailable as a consequence of muscle and thigh accidents, respectively. 

Antonis Tsiftsis is predicted to start out in aim, with Tomasz Kedziora and Giannis Michailidis on the coronary heart of defence.

Giorgos Giakoumakis is predicted to guide the road as PAOK chase the targets wanted to overturn the deficit.

Celta Vigo doable beginning lineup:

Radu; Carreira, Aidoo, Alonso, Rodriguez; Mingueza, Roman Gonzalez, Moriba; Aspas, Iglesias, Swedberg

PAOK doable beginning lineup:

Tsiftsis; Taylor, Kedziora, Michailidis, Kenny; Ozdoyev, Camara; Taison, Zafeiris, Chatsidis; Giakoumakis

We say: Celta Vigo 2-0 PAOK

With a first-leg benefit, sturdy dwelling kind and larger consistency, Celta Vigo are properly positioned to see out this tie. 

PAOK’s struggles on the highway and lack of innovative in current matches might show expensive, and the hosts ought to have sufficient high quality to safe a victory and progress to the subsequent spherical.

For knowledge evaluation of the probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.