The Greeks are on a roll and ready to prove their class: prediction for Panathinaikos vs Grasshopper
One of the many friendly fixtures will take place this Saturday at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium in Athens, where local side Panathinaikos will host Swiss outfit Grasshopper. Here’s my take on the likely outcome of this encounter.
Panathinaikos: new coach, new hopes
Last season, Panathinaikos made it to the championship playoffs, but their performance left much to be desired, finishing only in fourth place. They trailed third-placed PAOK by a hefty 12 points. The main culprit was a six-match winless streak - three defeats and three draws.
As a result, the club parted ways with Rafael Benítez and signed a two-year deal with Jakob Neestrup. Under their new manager, Panathinaikos have already played two friendlies, dispatching Helmond 4-0 and Ajax 3-1.
Grasshopper: disastrous season in the rearview
The "Hoppers," meanwhile, endured an outright disastrous campaign. In 38 rounds, the team managed only 8 wins and finished second from bottom, staying above relegated Winterthur by just 10 points. They had to save themselves in a relegation playoff, where Grasshopper only managed to edge out Aarau in extra time.
This summer, the club has already played three friendlies. The Hoppers started with two wins - a 4-0 thrashing of Kreuzlingen away, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory at Schaffhausen. However, in their third match against Super League side Wil, the Hoppers fell 2-3.
Key facts and head-to-heads
- In Grasshopper's last 4 matches, the bet on "Total over 2.5 goals" has come through
- The teams last met back in 1974, when both sides claimed home victories
Prediction
Panathinaikos should be in better match shape, especially with their upcoming European campaign looming. Overall, the hosts have the edge in quality as well. Let’s not forget the match is being played in Athens, and everyone knows how passionate Greek fans are about supporting their teams. Our bet: Panathinaikos to win at odds of 1.65.
