EL-KP-L2: Celta Vigo - PAOK (26.02.26, 22:00 EET)

[Blackhawk]

   VS 

MATCHUP:               RC Celta Vigo – PAOK Thessaloniki
COMPETITION:      Europa League – Knockout Phase – Leg 2
DATE:                        26-February-2026
TIME:                        22:00 EET (20:00 UTC, 14:00 CST, 07:00 AEDT next day)
CITY/STADIUM:     Vigo – Estadio de Balaidos (24,870)
REFEREES:            
TELEVISION:          COSMOTE Sport (Greece), Stan Sport (Australia), DAZN (Canada), Paramount+, ViX (USA)

PAOK’s History against teams from Spain in European Competitions

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2025-2026:  PAOK – Celta Vigo  1:2 – (77. Jeremejeff) - Att: 20,448 – Europa League (Knockout Phase – Leg 1)
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2025-2026:  PAOK – Real Betis  2:0 – (67. Zivkovic, 86. Giakoumakis-p) - Att: 22,221 – Europa League (Group Phase – MD2)
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2025-2026:  RC Celta Vigo – PAOK  3:1 – (37. Giakoumakis) - Att: 20,849 – Europa League (Group Phase – MD2)
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2024-2025:  Real Sociedad – PAOK  2:0 – Att: 23,872 – Europa League (Group Phase – MD8)
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2020-2021:  PAOK – Granada CF      0:0 - Att: no fans - Europa League (Group Stage - Round 6)
2020-2021:  Granada CF – PAOK      0:0 – Att: nf – Europa League (Group Stage - Round 2)
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2010-2011:  PAOK – Villareal CF      1:0 – (69. Vieirinha) - Att: 22,779 - Europa League (Group Stage - Round 4)
2010-2011:  Villareal CF – PAOK      1:0 – Att: 14,760 – Europa League (Group Stage - Round 3)
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1997-1998:  Atletico Madrid – PAOK   5:2 – (20. Frantzeskos, 65. Maragos) - Att: 28,000 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 2)
1997-1998:  PAOK – Atletico Madrid   4:4 – (15. Frantzeskos, 55. Olivares, 75. Zagorakis, 82. Zouboulis) – Att: 25,378 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 1)
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1990-1991:  PAOK – Sevilla FC        0:0 (3:4 pen) – Att: 35,000 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 2)
1990-1991:  Sevilla FC – PAOK        0:0 – Att: 40,000 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 2)
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1982-1983:  Sevilla FC – PAOK        4:0 –- Att: 52,532 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 2)
1982-1983:  PAOK – Sevilla FC        2:0 – (49. Dimopoulos C., 61. Kostikos) – Att: 17,725 – UEFA Cup (Round 2, Leg 1)
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1975-1976:  FC Barcelona – PAOK     6:1 – (77. Anastasiadis) - Att: 30,000 – UEFA Cup (Round 1, Leg 2)
1975-1976:  PAOK – FC Barcelona     1:0 – (73. Koudas) - Att: 45,020 – UEFA Cup (Round 1, Leg 1)
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GAMES:  16    WINS:  4    TIES:  5    LOSSES:  7

[pash]

Hopefully a better showing this time. We had a ton of absences last round. This is important to me because I think we've shown we actually can compete at this level. Let's see if we can score a few goals.

[Blackhawk]

For starters let's just score one and don't concede any and then anything can happen on OT and penalties. 

Don't see too many players returning back to action. One is Giakoumakis, but we will definitively miss Zivkovic.

[paokarag4]

I think that is the problem though, I don't see us keeping a clean sheet. Over 2 games, Celta has outplayed us and caused us plenty of headaches defensively. I don't see that changing, we are probably going to have to score at least 2 to force extra time IMO. 

Konstantelias may be fit for this one, not sure if they'd start him but he would be a huge plus. I think Chatsidis starts no matter what, he is the only available right winger for this game. 

Anything can happen, and I do think we will put up a fight. A one goal game is a live game, so I think pinching an early goal is imperative as I don't see us being able to keep the game at 0-0 long enough to keep us in the game into the 2nd half. Grab an early goal, put the pressure back on Celta and see how it plays out.