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. 

[Dutch Eagle]

No Taison too for this game. 

Travelling to Spain:

Τσιφτσής, Μοναστηρλής, Νικολακούλης, Κένι, Σάντσεζ, Κεντζιόρα, Βολιάκο, Μιχαηλίδης, Μπάμπα, Τέιλορ, Ντούνγκα, Θυμιάνης, Ζαφείρης, Οζντόεφ, Καμαρά, Μπιάνκο, Μπέρδος, Χατσίδης, Γιακουμάκης, Γερεμέγεφ, Μύθου

[Blackhawk]

These are the players missing from this game due to injuries and/or cards:

Zivkovic
Taison
Konstantelias
Despodov
Pelkas
Lovren
Meite
Pavlenka

Also Ivanusec who has returned to practices, but is not on the European list.

[paokarag4]

A tough task became just about impossible. We have one winger (2? Not sure if Berdos is a winger or attacking mid) they are both super young. 4 of the players missing would be a lock to start, while Despodov and Pelkas would have been starting with the absences of Konstantelias and Zivkovic. 

Not expecting the a result, tough to ask the boys with so many key absences to put up a fight. Play the game with zero expectaction and pressure and hopefully we get some glimpses of the future. 

[pash]

Berdos is a left winger. I guess that leaves us with the below as our 'best' lineup. I'm assuming Kedziora will be rested for the league but could see him starting in place of Vogliacco as well. The bigger issue is that we have zero depth; every substitution will result in a downgrade.

 

                       --Tsiftsis--

--Kenny--Vogliacco--Michailidis--Baba--

       --Ozdoyev--Zafeiris--Kamara--

   --Chatsidis--Giakoumakis--Berdos--

 

If he wanted to maximize experience, then he'd play the 4-4-2...which he won't, so not really much point to suggesting it.

[pash]

Mythou is now out of the match - due to a fever. Though I'm sure CF was the one position we weren't going to play a youngster, anyway.

-edit- Bianco is in the press conference so I guess that means we'll see him in midfield.

Edited Wednesday at 06:25 PM by pash

[Blackhawk]

Kedziora is not playing Sunday (cards), so I am sure he will start tomorrow and next Wednesday against Kifisia.

If I am Lucescu tomorrow, I would do some heavy experimentation:

------------------ Tsiftsis -------------------
Kenny -- Kedziora -- Michailidis -- Sanchez (Taylor)
---------- Ozdoev ------- Bianco -----------
   Chatsidis ------- Zafiris ------- Baba
--------------- Giakoumakis ----------------

 

[italosPAOK4]

nikh prokrish me thn 2h 11ada

[pash]

Sanchez starts as right winger, it seems

[Dutch Eagle]

Our starters:

Tsiftsis, Kenny, Kedziora, Michailidis, Baba, Ozdoyev, Bianco, Zafeiris, Chatsidis, Sanchez and Giakoumakis. 

[Blackhawk]

[Blackhawk]

26 minutes ago, pash said:

Sanchez starts as right winger, it seems

And Bianco as a "10"

[Blackhawk]

0:0 halftime. 

We are still in the game.

[Dutch Eagle]

Save Tsiftsis at the beginning of the second half.

[Dutch Eagle]

1-0 for Celta. 

[Blackhawk]

Game over ...

[Dutch Eagle]

First sub: Camara in; Bianco out. 

[Dutch Eagle]

Taylor subbed in for Chatsidis.

[Dutch Eagle]

Last sub: Jeremejeff for Giakoumakis. 

[Dutch Eagle]

Our European journey has ended this season with this 1-0 defeat.

And history repeats: we are eliminated in the same round as last year against an opponent we met in the League Phase and lose with the same scores: 1-2 and 1-0.