PAOK
- The most significant game in Greek soccer of 2025-26 season will be played in Thessaloniki on Sunday when rivals PAOK and AEK Athens go head-to-head in a classic ‘Double-headed Eagles’ derby.
- The visitors are top of the pile with 48 points from 20 games while PAOK are on 45 from 19, setting up a key matchup in the race for the 2025-26 Super League title.
- Răzvan Lucescu’s side have been in strong form, winning each of their last three Super League games by a combined score of 10-1.
- A 4-2 defeat away at Lyon in the Europa League was a setback for the hosts.
AEK
- Luka Jović’s team have been equally as convincing domestically, where a recent 4-0 win over Panathinaikos and a 1-1 away draw at Olympiacos have shown their grit and consistency.
- But Marko Nikolić has done a fine job since taking charge in June 2025 and his pragmatic, disciplined system has made AEK virtually unbeatable in league football.
Head-to-Head
- PAOK have won the last two head-to-head clashes with AEK, including a 2-0 away win in October 2025.
- The recent history of this fixture, which is always a tense and intense affair, favours PAOK, who won both meetings in 2025, 2-0 away and 1-0 at home.
- Four of the last five Super League meetings of the two most successful clubs in Greek football have been settled by a one-goal margin or finished level.
Key Players
- In Orbelín Pineda and Petros Mantalos, AEK have two excellent creative players who are capable of creating chances from deep or providing a late run into the box.
- Pineda and Mantalos both contribute assists, while their most clinical striker, Luka Jović, has 12 league goals, the most of any player on the pitch on Sunday.
- PAOK have a couple of good goalscorers in their ranks with Giorgos Giakoumakis, an old hand at leading the line.
- Giannis Konstantelias has scored recently and his ability to find a way through from wide or deep adds a dimension to their attacking play.
- Magomed Ozdoev, with seven goals, is another late-running threat and a good set-piece taker from a midfield position.
Betting Insights
- Backing Under 2.5 goals at 1.77 has merit in this spot where a close and tense game seems inevitable.
- The draw is 3.2, which seems a fair representation of AEK’s chance in this high-stakes game.
- We are edging towards a home win here with odds of 2.1 on PAOK marginally better than the 3.35 available on AEK.
Prediction
- Momentum will be with PAOK for this game and they have a home-field advantage, but AEK are unbeaten in their last five league matches, conceding only once in their last three.
- However, with both squads at near full strength and the title race in the balance, we are edging towards a home win.
- These clubs always seem to produce close contests and we expect the same to happen here, although it could be set-piece proficiency and possession that decides it.
