Matchday 7 of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League group stage will see PAOK (Greece) face Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) on January 23 at the Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki. PAOK vs. Slavia Prague: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 35;
Average yellow cards per match – 5;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 43%.
Predicted lineups for PAOK vs. Slavia Prague
PAOK (4-5-1): Dominik Kotarski – Abdul Rahman Baba, Giannis Michailidis, Tomasz Kedziora, Honni – Magomed Ozdoev, Mady Camara, Taison, Giannis Konstantelias, Andrija Zivkovic – Brandon Thomas.
Slavia Prague (3-4-3): Antonin Kinsky – Jan Boril, Igoh Ogbu, Tomas Holes – El-Hadji Malik Diouf, Christos Zafeiris, Oscar Dorley, David Doudera – Lukas Provod, Tomas Chory, Ivan Schranz.
Each team's starting lineup from their previous match in this tournament is listed.
PAOK
The Thessaloniki club secured their second consecutive clean sheet victory in the Europa League, thrashing Ferencvaros 5-0 in the last round. This win marks PAOK's largest triumph in the second most prestigious European competition since 2015. Notably, before this successful run, the team had been winless in the Europa League for four matches (1 draw, 3 losses). The six points gained in the last two games have significantly improved the club's standings, moving them into the playoff zone in the Europa League table, rising from 33rd to 22nd place. Winning the last two matches of the group stage will keep the team in contention for a top-eight finish and a direct spot in the round of 16.
Midfielder Mady Camara is suspended, while defender Omar Colley and forward Andrija Zivkovic are injured.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 7 of PAOK's last 9 Europa League matches.
- The club has not lost at home in 7 of their last 8 matches in this tournament (4 wins, 3 draws).
- A goal was scored in both halves in 7 of the team's last 9 home matches in the Europa League.
Slavia Prague
In contrast, the Prague side has been struggling recently in the second-tier European competition, losing their last four matches. In the last two games of the tournament, Slavia was defeated at home with an identical score of 1-2, against Fenerbahce and Anderlecht. The club has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five Europa League matches. As a result of this losing streak, the team has dropped out of the playoff zone, falling from 9th to 29th place in the Europa League standings. Slavia Prague is no longer in contention for a direct spot in the round of 16, and a loss in the upcoming match could eliminate their chances of reaching the playoffs.
First-choice goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky has left the club, and forward Lukas Provod will miss the game due to injury.
- The team's winless streak in the Europa League stands at 5 matches (1 draw, 4 losses).
- Slavia has not scored more than one goal in their last 5 matches in the second-tier European competition.
- The club's uncompromising away run in the Europa League consists of 8 matches (3 wins, 5 losses).
PAOK vs. Slavia Prague: Match Prediction
The hosts will undoubtedly be buoyed by their recent Europa League results, having won the last two matches with an aggregate score of 7-0. Moreover, they will have the support of their home crowd. Greek clubs traditionally perform much better on home soil, and PAOK is no exception. Additionally, an advantage for the Thessaloniki team is that Slavia has lost their competitive edge, as they are on a break in their domestic league, with the Czech league on hiatus since mid-December and resuming only in February.
Furthermore, Slavia has underperformed in this season's Europa League, winning only one out of six matches. The team has scored just five goals, while PAOK has netted ten. On the road, the Prague club rarely secures victories, failing to win in 8 of their last 11 matches (2 draws, 6 losses).
Therefore, I believe the hosts should earn points in the upcoming match. My prediction: PAOK to win or draw
