PAOK vs Club Brugge: UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final Preview

PAOK vs Club Brugge: UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final Preview


By Konstantinos Massaras.

Facing a two goal deficit in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie, nobody seems to understand how PAOK have managed to survive in this tournament for so long, especially since they began in the Conference League second qualifying round. That is because nobody outside of Greece has seen this team play for more than two matches. This season, PAOK have shown time and time again that they are as talented as they have ever been, but have not always been able to put it together. In Europe however, they have been practically perfect.


Razvan Lucescu has made it clear, judging by his lineup selections, that he is going all in for Europe this season. This past weekend, in PAOK’s biggest domestic match of the season thus far, he did not start Taison, Despodov, or Ozdoev, in order to give them some rest for these next two matches against Club Brugge. PAOK is extremely healthy, and in good form.


We know how good PAOK is, and they can beat any team that remains in this tournament. In this blog however, I am going to be focusing on Club Brugge and analyze what it means for PAOK’s chances.


This is my projected lineup for Club Brugge with their market value according to TransferMarkt:


GK: Nordin Jackers (26 - 400k)

LB: Bjorn Meijer (21 - 7.00m)

CB: Brandon Mechele (31 - 3.00m)

CB: Jorne Spileers (19 - 5.00m)

RB: Maxim De Cupyer (23 - 8.00m)

CM: Raphael Onyedika (22 - 8.00m)

CM: Hans Vanaken (31 - 7.50m)

CAM: Hugo Vetlesen (24 - 6.00m)

LW: Antonio Nusa (18 - 17.00m)

RW: Michal Skoras (24 - 3.80m)

ST: Igor Thiago (22 - 33.00m)


A weakness is evidently clear at the goalkeeper position, as Simon Mignolet has been out with a hamstring injury. Nordin Jackers, who has no real experience at a high level, is being thrusted into this massive quarter-final, and will almost definitely have to start both legs. You don’t always know how much a backup goalkeeper is gonna affect the match, but it could be something to watch out for.


Another massive injury the Belgians are dealing with is their star winger Andreas Skov Olsen, who was injured in their Round of 16 tie, is still out with an injury. This is a devastating blow for Club Brugge, as he has scored 23 goals in all competitions so far this season, only second to the center-forward Igor Thiago.


Speaking of Igor Thiago, he is definitely the one to watch out for in this match. Already completing a move to Brentford in the summer for over 30 million, Thiago is one of the wildest stories in Europe in the past two seasons. Playing futsal just a few years ago, the 22 year old Brazilian has skyrocketed up the ranks in Europe, and now is going to the Premier League. Along with being a prolific goalscorer, he is extremely quick, and will be a good test for Koulierakis, most likely the toughest he has ever faced in his young career.


Even without Andreas Skov Olsen, their entire attack is defined by speed, with Antonio Nusa, an 18 year old rising star, and Polish international Michael Skoras. Their midfield is led by their Captain, Hans Vanaken, who has capped 318 matches for the club, is not defined by speed, but is an extremely prolific goal scorer.


The biggest positive for PAOK, I think, is that they are way more experienced than this club. Six of the eleven projected starters are 23 years old and younger. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of them are extremely talented, but I like PAOK’s experience in a match of this magnitude. They will also get more chances at deep runs in Europe, but this means way more to PAOK and their players than it does to Club Brugge.


Former Olympiakos player Phillip Zinckernagel will also be one to watch for, whether he starts on the bench or not, he will definitely get action in both legs of this tie.


The first leg will be away in Belgium, and PAOK cannot afford to go down two goals again. They were way better than Zagreb in both ties, and even at 2-0 down, there was always a belief that they could come back. Club Brugge are another level above, and while PAOK can definitely advance, even with a loss in the away tie, they need a good performance on Belgian soil. Tomorrow I am looking for a draw, knowing that a win is definitely feasible. 


The big news for PAOK is that Thomas Murg was not selected in the final squad, so the starting 11 should look something like this:

-

GK: Dominik Kotarski

LB: Baba Rahman

CB: Konstantinos Koulierakis

CB: Thomasz Kedziora

RB: Vieirinha

CM: Soualiho Meite

CM: Magomed Ozdoev

LW: Taison

CAM: Giannis Konstantelias

RW: Kiril Despodov

ST: Brandon

-

Considering how poor Jonny Otto has played since his arrival, I would not be surprised if Vieirinha gets his second consecutive European start. Vieirinha is PAOK, and he deserves to be playing in one of the biggest matches in their history. A victory would mean it will be the first time in the clubs history that it has reached a European Semi-Final, and with Fiorentina/Viktoria Plzen being the clubs that await them, a trip to the final is no longer just a dream.


Hellas Football 


Follow @kostamassaras

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