Panathinaikos vs PAOK prediction, H2H and probable lineups — 17 May 2026
The final round of the Greek Super League brings a clash between Panathinaikos and PAOK. The match will take place in Athens on Sunday, May 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 18:30 Central European Time. I’m backing a bet on the scoring outcome of this game.
Match preview
Panathinaikos spent the 2025/26 season locked in a tense battle for Greek Super League medals. However, inconsistency throughout the campaign prevented them from cementing a place among the leaders and mounting a true title challenge.
In the final rounds, the Athens club has shown disappointing results and is clearly just playing out the season. Their difficulties are especially apparent in matches where they have to break down a compact defense, as well as in occasional defensive errors that have cost them crucial points.
Still, Panathinaikos look much stronger at home. The team tends to dominate possession, attack more actively down the flanks, and create more chances—helping to offset some of the instability seen in away games.
In the league table, the club sits fourth and has long since dropped out of contention for a Champions League or Europa League spot. However, Benítez’s men secured their place in the Conference League quite some time ago.
PAOK appear noticeably stronger and remain in the hunt for second place right up until the final round. The Thessaloniki side have shown a high level of organization and far fewer lapses over the season compared to their next opponent.
In recent matches, PAOK have looked confident, consistently picking up points and avoiding prolonged slumps. The team knows how to get results in key clashes with direct rivals, as evidenced by their Greek Cup run, where they knocked out Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in succession. However, that was followed by a shock defeat to OFI in the final.
PAOK’s strength remains their balance between defense and attack. The team plays with discipline, controls the tempo well, and is effective at converting chances, even if they don’t create a huge number of opportunities.
In the standings, PAOK trail Olympiacos by two points. Second place offers a Champions League berth, but to clinch it they not only need to beat Panathinaikos, but also require Olympiacos to lose to an unmotivated AEK side that has already secured the title.
Match facts
- Panathinaikos are winless in their last five matches.
- PAOK have won just one of their last eight away matches.
- Panathinaikos average 1.65 goals per home game, while PAOK average 1.7 goals per away game.
Probable lineups
- Panathinaikos: Lafont, Kyriopoulos, Touba, Palmer-Brown, Calabria, Gnezda, Chirivella, Andino, Zaroury, Swiderski, Tetteh.
- PAOK: Pavlenka, Kenny, Kedziora, Michailidis, Baba, Ozdoev, Meïté, Pelkas, Taison, Zivkovic, Giakoumakis.
H2H
Panathinaikos have failed to score against PAOK in their last four meetings.
Prediction
This match looks fairly even, but Panathinaikos’ lack of motivation could play into the visitors’ hands. Under such circumstances, it seems logical to expect a low-scoring affair. My pick is total goals under 2.5.
