PAOK – Maccabi Tel Aviv: Europa League opener at Toumba – Kickoff at 19:45

The League Phase of the UEFA Europa League kicks off, with PAOK hosting Maccabi Tel Aviv astatine Toumba on Wednesday evening (24/9, 19:45), aiming for a triumph that volition reconstruct calm aft caller mediocre results.

The ambiance astatine “Mikra Asia” is acold from perfect pursuing the team’s past 2 results. Last Wednesday (17/9), PAOK suffered a dense 4-1 decision to Levadiakos successful the Cup, and connected Saturday (20/9) was held to a goalless gully astatine location against Panetolikos — their archetypal dropped points successful the Super League aft 3 consecutive wins. Razvan Lucescu doesn’t look overly concerned, but cipher wants a 3rd setback successful a row.

PAOK starting with:
Pavlenka, Kędziora, Kenny, Michailidis, Baba, Ozdoev, Meïté, Zivković, Konstantelias, Taison, Giakoumakis.

The 56-year-old Romanian manager has nary large issues, with Dimitris Pelkas the lone absentee owed to a musculus injury; helium is expected backmost successful astir a month. The “black and whites” are besides looking for immoderate payback against Maccabi Tel Aviv, who eliminated them successful the 2004 UEFA Champions League qualifiers with 2 defeats (0-3 and 0-1). Against different Israeli clubs, however, PAOK remains unbeaten with 5 wins and 3 draws.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s 26 league titles and 24 home cups talk for themselves. Žarko Lazetić’s squad whitethorn person been knocked retired of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers by Pafos (1-1 away, 0-1 home), but successful the Europa League they overcame Hamrun Spartans (3-1 home, 2-1 away) and Dynamo Kyiv (3-1 home, 0-1 away). Earlier, they had mislaid the Super Cup to Hapoel Be’er Sheva (2-1), but results person improved since.

Maccabi leads the Israeli Ligat ha’Al with 4 wins successful 4 games, scoring 14 and conceding 2. Their latest triumph came connected Saturday with a 2-1 triumph implicit Hapoel Jerusalem, contempt being reduced to 10 men successful the 66th infinitesimal (Roi Revivo’s reddish card) and instantly falling down connected the scoreboard. The 43-year-old Serbian manager has nary important concerns, with lone striker Ion Nicolaescu doubtful. He relies heavy connected the signifier of Dor Peretz (7 goals, 1 assist) and Eido Shahar (5 goals, 2 assists).

Around 250 traveling fans volition enactment the Israeli broadside astatine Toumba, amid ongoing contention surrounding the imaginable exclusion of Israeli clubs and the nationalist squad from European and planetary competitions.

Referee: Sven Jablonski (Germany).