PAOK in Europe 2018-2019

[PAOKSYD]

Hope so black hawk! 

 

[Blackhawk]

Standard Liege finishing 2nd in Belgium will help PAOK to be seeded in QR3 if we eliminated either Ajax or Basel. If we do qualify the seedings will be as follows:

Benfica  (POR) - 80.000
Basel (SWI) or Ajax (HOL) -  71.000/53.500
Dinamo Kiev (UKR) - 62.000
PAOK (GRE) - 29.500
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fenerbahce (TUR) - 23.500
Spartak Moscow (RUS) - 13.500
Standard Liege (BEL) - 12.500
Slavia Prague (CZE) - 7.500

Another bonus if we qualify from QR2 is that we automatically secure Europa League group stage. If we don't we are looking at two qualifying rounds in EL to reach that stage. 
 

 

 

 

[Athens4]

You mean if we get past QR3 right?

[Blackhawk]

If we get past QR2, where we will play either Ajax or Basel.

[Dutch Eagle]

The draw just gave us: PAOK - Basel. First game in Toumba. 

[pash]

This is the better draw, IMO. Let's hope we can take advantage and kick some ass.

[paokarag4]

Without knowing both teams too extensively, I feel Basel is the tougher opponent. They beat both Manchester United and Manchester City (all be it a slightly weaker city side) in the last 6-7 months. Don't know if they've lost any players but this will be far from easy. 

Keep a clean sheet in the first leg at home and it's game on

[Yiankos]

Both Ajax and Basel are way bigger teams than PAOK. They have so many Champions League appearances and we have none.

Of course the one who progresses will be the one who is in better shape at the moment. I hope Lucescu can show some quality. This is the year he will have to prove himself. Budget-wise I am not sure that Basel will have a huge difference from ours. The point is to have the team ready for those games.

I would prefer Ajax, but Basel it is. Good luck to the team and let's hope they will give us something to celebrate in the middle of the summer!

[Bananas]

I was hoping for Ajax because I’m a sadist.  Seriously though I think with our current team it would a very close game against Ajax.  I would’ve been interested to see how it played out.

Basel it is then.  I don’t really know anything about them.  As Yiankos said the important thing is to have the team ready in fitness and mind.  That at least is in our control so we can give the best performance we can.  On the plus side we have the same manager for more than 12 months ha ha.  Bravo re Lucescu.

[Blackhawk]

I agree that Basel will be a tougher opponent just by their recent European success. Having said that Ajax is top quality team as well. So either one would would be tough opponent. Like Yianko said, hopefully we will come out and play solid game and hope for the best. 

In my opinion, if we progress we will have an easier time in QR3 since we will be seeded.

The other thing that worries me with Basel is that they already started their pre-season training, and by the first game on July 24/25, they will already have one official league game under their belt.

[Yiankos]

Another big advantage for us is that we will keep almost the same team from last year. This almost never happened in recent years. And for those qualifying matches we usually had a new coach plus a new team by 7/11. This year we go with the same coach and probably 7/11 will be the same that played against AEK for the Cup. Only the center forward and Khacheridi will be for sure the new ones plus one or two more changes for tactical reasons. Pashalakis, Matos, Varela (or Crespo), Vieirinha, Mauricio, Pelkas, Djalma or Biseswar will be probably starting against Basel and if Wernbloom drags for a month then I can see Canas or Shakhov starting as well.

[Blackhawk]

The first leg game date has been set for July 24. The game will take place at Toumba.

[Yiankos]

I will be in Vermont the whole July and probably not able to watch the game. I will try to record and watch it later. Never done it.

[Dutch Eagle]

Tha to kitaxo se ena baraki sti rodo. Opos ke to epanaliptiko.

[Dutch Eagle]

Games are confirmed:

PAOK - FC Basel: Tuesday 24-7-2018 in Toumba at 20:30 EEST;

FC Basel - PAOK: Wednesday 1-8-2018 in St. Jakob Park at 21:00 (probably) EEST.

[pash]

I'm callin' it now!

 

               --Pashalakis--

--Matos--Varela--Crespo--Vieirinha--

          --Mauricio--Canas--

  --Henrique--Pelkas--Biseswar--

              --Koulouris--

[Bananas]

Koulouris ?  Is that a misprint ?

Not sure whether to laugh or cry.

[pash]

I just think Lucescu will push for continuity. I have my doubts that Prijovic will be available so soon after the cup, especially if Serbia make it to the next stage. He'll be given a week or two off, right?

If not, then by all means give me some of that sweet Prijovic action

[Yiankos]

Who knows, maybe the Brazilian guy will be a starter very soon. Is he a winger or center forward really?

[pash]

I read (a non-Greek) site describing him as a winger who can play as attacking mid. But transfermarkt shows him as a winger (predominantly left) who also plays CF. I'd imagine that we'll see him as a winger, at least for now.

[BostonThanatos]

I hope Serbia doesn't make it thtough.... Get Prijo back with the team ASAP.

 

[Yiankos]

ΠΑΟΚΑΡΑ στην Ευρώπη το καλύτερο σιρόπι!

[pash]

Here's Lucescu's list:

 

Γλύκος, Ρέι, Πασχαλάκης, Σιαμπάνης, Βαρέλα, Κρέσπο, Χατσερίδης, Μαλεζάς, Μάτος, Κίτσιου, Βιεϊρίνια, Λύρατζης, Κάνιας, Χαρίσης, Σάκχοφ, Μαουρίσιο, Πέλκας, Ελ Καντουρί, Μπίσεσβαρ, Λημνιός, Λάμπρου, Ζαμπά, Ουάρντα, Μυστακίδης και Πρίγιοβιτς

 

No Moulin, who has been out of action for much of preseason, so no big surprise there. Lyratzis is in, though, which is  bit more of a surprise.

[BostonThanatos]

Biseswar has been ruled out for our first match.

 

[Dutch Eagle]

If we eliminate Basel we will face Spartak Moscow in Q3. First leg in Toumba.