Overview
Celta Vigo is facing a golden opportunity to complete their task at home at Balaidos, after winning a hard-fought 2-1 victory in the first leg in Greece.
The Galician team entered the match with positive form - 2 wins, 2 draws and only one defeat in their last five appearances in all competitions. In their most recent home match, they convincingly defeated Mallorca 2-0, extending their stable performance streak.
Under the guidance of coach Claudio Giraldez, Celta earned 13 points in the Europa League group stage (4 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses), enough to win a ticket to the play-offs. Notably, Balaidos is truly a fulcrum when they win three out of four home matches in the European arena this season.
The first leg victory not only brings a score advantage but also strengthens the spirit. Celta shows good pressure resistance away from home, and they are currently ranked sixth in La Liga - proof of clear progress this season.
However, their form in the Europa League is still unstable (2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses in the last 5 matches), requiring maximum caution from them in the second leg.
In the opposite direction, PAOK traveled to Spain with a difficult task. The defeat right at home in the first leg put great pressure on the Greek representative.
The recent form of Razvan Lucescu's team is not really convincing. They have only had one victory in the last 5 matches in all competitions (three draws, one loss). The recent 1-1 draw against AE Larissa also did not create the necessary psychological momentum.
In the group stage, PAOK won 12 points (3 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses). However, their away record in Europe is quite worrying with only one win in 4 matches (1 draw, 2 losses), reflecting the difficulties every time they leave Thessaloniki.
Lucescu is forced to find a balance between attack and defense. PAOK needs to score to reverse the situation, but at the same time is not allowed to concede more goals. Instability (1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses in the last 5 Europa League matches) makes the task even more complicated.
Head-to-head history also does not favor the Greek representative. Celta Vigo has won both previous encounters, holding a clear psychological advantage before this decisive match.
Personnel situation
The home team may be missing Alvaro Nunez due to a groin injury, while Carl Starfelt is also having a calf problem and is not sure to play.
Franco Cervi continues to be absent due to a muscle injury. Hugo Sotelo has an ankle problem and is expected to only be able to return in early March. Besides, striker Pablo Duran is definitely not present due to a knee injury.
In midfield, Oscar Mingueza and Ilaix Moriba can take on the role of regulating. In attack, captain Iago Aspas will lead alongside Borja Iglesias and Williot Swedberg.
On PAOK's side, Andrija Zivkovic was suspended after receiving 3 yellow cards. Dejan Lovren had to be sidelined due to a knee ligament injury, while Dimitrios Pelkas was absent due to a minor injury. Goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka had a problem with his chest, and Kiril Despodov suffered a muscle injury.
Two other names who could not participate were Luka Ivanusec (muscle injury) and Soualiho Meite (brother injury).
Expected lineup:
Celta Vigo: Radu, Carreira, Aidoo, Alonso, Rodriguez, Mingueza, Roman Gonzalez, Moriba, Aspas, Iglesias, Swedberg.
Tsiftsis, Taylor, Kedziora, Michailidis, Kenny, Ozdoyev, Camara, Taison, Zafeiris, Chatsidis, Giakoumakis.
The match between Celta Vigo and PAOK takes place at 3:00 AM on February 27 (Vietnam time).
