Our prediction for this Champions League match:
PAOK
Match Time & Date:
24/07/2018
01:30 PM
Prediction: 1-1
Basel
PAOK and Basel face each other at Stadio Toumbas in what is expected to be one of the most entertaining games of Tuesday’s football match. PAOK finished the 2017/2018 Greek Super League campaign in second position in the standings and, as a result, they booked their place in the Champions League qualifiers. The Eagles have been struggling in the Champions League and it has to be noted that they failed to win previous ten games in the elite competitions. Basel, on the other hand, participated in the Champions League last term, with the team making it to the knockout stages of the elite competition, but star-studded Premier League side Manchester City eventually proved to be a big catch for the Swiss champions. Anyhow, PAOK and Basel seem to be evenly matched teams at the moment and we predict that they are going to play out a draw in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round.
Highlighted Player (Vieirinha):
Better known as Vieirinha, Adelino Andre Vieira de Freitas originates from Guimaraes, and it was at Vitoria Guimaraes that he spent seven years before joining FC Porto academy in 2002. Despite getting promoted to the senior side in 2005, the winger was never given a chance to impress at Estadio do Dragao and following several loan spells, he opted to sign for Greek giants PAOK.
Vieirinha clearly profited from exposure to first team football, scoring 18 goals in 78 league matches for the club. His impressive displays did not go unnoticed and Wolfsburg soon came calling. Despite arriving at the club as a right winger, the Portuguese footballer was eventually converted to right-back near the end of the 2014/2015 season and has since impressed in his new position.
After representing his country at various youth levels, Vieirinha received his first call-up to the senior squad in November 2011, but he had to wait until March 2013 to be handed his debut. The experienced footballer, nonetheless, secured his place in the 2014 World Cup squad, making one appearance at the tournament finals.
Highlighted Team (Basel):
One of the most successful football clubs in Switzerland, FC Basel were founded in 1893. The RotBlau as they are referred to by the Swiss play their games at the St. Jacob Park in Basel in front of 37,500 people which is the maximum capacity of the venue.
The 19-time Swiss champions have endured difficult times in 1980s which ultimately led to relegation from the top flight in 1987. FC Basel returned to the top tier of Swiss football in 2000s to win their first league title in 22 years and go on to win it nine more times over 13 seasons since 2002. The golden times for FC Basel brought European inclusion in every season since 1999-2000 with a pinnacle being the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2012-13.
The RotBlau have so far played over 95 UEFA Champions League games, winning almost half of their European outings. The Swiss club has produced plenty of talented players who went on to become prominent footballers all across Europe with Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka being the most outstanding members of the latest generation.
Arsenal
Chelsea
Lille
PSG
