On October 24th, Panathinaikos will host Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium of Athens in the second round of the UEFA Conference League. Here’s an in-depth prediction from the experts at Sportsmacro.
Panathinaikos
The team remains a dominant force in Greek football but has struggled to regain its former glory since winning their 20th league title in 2010. Last season, they dropped from second to fourth place, although they did secure the national cup.
Under the management of Diego Alonso, Panathinaikos started the current season slowly in the league. However, they made an impressive run in European competitions, eliminating Botev Plovdiv and coming close to knocking out Ajax—winning the away leg but ultimately losing in a record-long penalty shootout. In the UEFA Conference League qualifiers, they faced Lens, winning 2-0 at home after a 1-2 loss in France, but were underwhelming in their away match against Borac Banja Luka, resulting in a draw.
Chelsea
The club aimed to bounce back after finishing seventh in the 2022/2023 season under Mauricio Pochettino. With Manchester United winning the Conference League, Chelsea secured their place in this tournament.
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The Conference League isn’t a priority for the “Blues,” as demonstrated by the absence of Palmer from the squad registration. Despite facing some challenges, Chelsea managed to advance past Servette in the qualifiers with an aggregate victory, having exchanged wins. They also fielded an experimental squad that overcame Genk 4-2 in the previous round.
Match Facts
– Panathinaikos has won only one of their last six matches.
– Chelsea has won five of their last six games.
– Panathinaikos wins the first half in 33% of their matches, while Chelsea leads in 39% of theirs.
Probable Lineups
– Panathinaikos: Drągowski – Mladenović, Ingason, Šćekić, Kotsiras – Maksimović, Gnezda Čerin, Đuričić, Bakasetas, Pellistri – Šporar
– Chelsea: Jørgensen – Veiga, Badiashile, Adarabioyo, Disasi – Dewsbury-Hall, Casadei, Mudryk, João Félix, Neto – Nkunku
Head-to-Head
This match will mark the first time Chelsea travels to Athens.
Prediction: Panathinaikos vs Chelsea
Bookmakers are skeptical about the Greek team’s chances. Chelsea has numerous motivated players eager to capitalize on rare opportunities. A bet on the English side to win is suggested, with odds at 1.64.
