Dillan George
Dailysports's expert
PAOK Thessaloniki FC
Malmoe FF
Bonus up to $130/€100
On Tuesday, August 13, in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, PAOK will host Malmö in Thessaloniki. The first leg in Sweden ended in a 2-2 draw. Below is a preview and betting prediction for the match, prepared by the Dailysports team of analysts.
PAOK
PAOK secured their fourth Greek Super League title last season and are now attempting to reach the Champions League group stage for the eighth time in their history. The previous seven attempts were unsuccessful, but this year, PAOK seems to have a strong chance of breaking that streak. The 2-2 away draw in Sweden puts them in a favorable position to advance to the playoff round of the qualifiers.
In the previous round of qualification, PAOK eliminated Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka with a 3-2 home win and a 1-0 away victory. The Greek Super League season has not yet started.
Malmö
Unlike PAOK, Malmö has reached the Champions League group stage three times. However, they finished last in their group on each occasion. In the previous qualifying round, the Swedish champions defeated the modest KI Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands. Malmö won 4-1 at home but lost 2-3 away.
Malmö are likely to return to the Champions League next season as well, as they currently lead the Allsvenskan after 18 rounds, holding a six-point advantage over Djurgården. However, their recent form has been less impressive. Over the weekend, Malmö secured a 1-0 away victory against Halmstad, but they had previously suffered a surprising 0-1 defeat to the modest Sirius. In their last five league matches, Malmö has collected just nine points.
Interesting Facts and Head-to-Head History
- Before this season, PAOK and Malmö had never faced each other.
- This is PAOK’s second encounter with a Swedish team. In the 2017/18 season, they were eliminated by Östersund in the Europa League qualifiers.
- Malmö is playing against a Greek team for the third time.
PAOK vs Malmö prediction
The first leg saw both teams create numerous chances and play a relatively open match. The second leg is likely to follow a similar pattern. My bet is that both teams will score.
Bonus up to $130/€100
