Our prediction for this Europa League match:
PAOK
Match Time & Date:
20/09/2018
12:55 PM
Prediction: 0-1
Chelsea
There will be fireworks when PAOK and Chelsea face each other at Stadio Toumbas in what is expected to be a great match. PAOK failed to beat Benfica in the Champions League play-off, but they have big ambitions for the 2018/2019 Europa League campaign as well. The Greek side are tough to beat at home, but seeing that they suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Benfica in their last home game in European competitions, we do not believe that there is a big value in betting on Aleksandar Prijovic and Co. Chelsea aim to go all the way in the Europa League this season and regardless of which players will be deployed in the starting line-up, we believe that there is a big value in betting on the visitors. It has to be noted that the two sides have never met before in the Europa League.
Highlighted Player (Omar El Kaddouri):
Omar El Kaddouri is a Moroccan footballer born in Brussels, Belgium on August 21, 1990. El Kaddouri was an Anderlecht player at the start of his senior career, but he did not see any game action for the Belgian side in the Jupiler League.
The 187-cm tall midfielder played for Brescia, Suditrol, Napoli, Torino and Empoli before signing a four-year deal with PAOK on August 24, 2017. The Morocco international won the Greek Cup with the black and whites, with the team beating AEK Athens in the title game. Omar El Kaddouri scored his first goal for the Greek side in a 3-1 victory over Panionios in April, 2018.
On the other hand, the PAOK midfielder made his Morocco debut in August, 2014 in a friendly against Burkina Faso. He opened his goal-scoring account with the Morocco national team on May 23, 2014 in a 4-0 victory over Mozambique. His main position is attacking midfielder, but he is capable of playing as a winger as well.
Highlighted Team (Chelsea):
Over the years Chelsea have established themselves as one of the dominant forces in the English Premier League. Roberto Di Matteo helped the team win their first ever Champions League trophy (2011/2012), but it has to be noted that they were more than fortunate to beat Bayern Munich in the title game.
Chelsea have been playing at Stamford Bridge since 1876 and they are a real force to be reckoned with at home. The Blues have won seven FA Cups, five League Cups, two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups and the UEFA Europa League. Rafael Benitez was in charge of the team that faced Benfica in the 2012/2013 Europa League final, with Branislav Ivanovic scoring the winner for the Blues in the title clash.
After lifting the 2014/2015 Premier League trophy, the Blues largely struggled in the next campaign, which saw Jose Mourinho’s second spell with the club come to an end, and Antoine Conte went over to take the reigns for the 2016/2017 season.
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