PAOK (home)
- PAOK are unbeaten in their last three league games, winning two and drawing one, and have scored seven goals in their last three home Super League games.
- PAOK Thessaloniki are the overwhelming favorites to beat Levadiakos at 1.32 with the away team being the big long shots at 9.8.
- PAOK are solidly in the top three after 24 games, on 54 points and a goal difference of +33, well in the title race.
- The team’s 4-2-3-1 structure is a classic set up that works well for PAOK’s strengths, with Magomed Ozdoyev acting as a controller in the centre of the park and Giannis Konstantelias their creative force behind a lone striker.
- Konstantelias is in contention to return from injury and suspension to face Levadiakos on Sunday.
- Giorgos Giakoumakis leads the line as PAOK’s top goalscorer for the season and will be a constant threat in the box, particularly on set plays.
Levadiakos (away)
- Levadiakos are coming off three straight Super League defeats, allowing nine goals.
- Nikos Papadopoulos’s Levadiakos have over-performed this season and his pragmatic approach is to play in a compact 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 and try to hit PAOK on the counter-attack or from set plays.
- Papadopoulos has been tactically outplayed by Lucescu in their two Super League clashes this season, PAOK winning 2-3 away and 1-0 at home.
- Fabricio Pedrozo is the main threat for Levadiakos.
- Alen Ožbolt is his strike partner and he chips in with goals, too, and the pair have helped Levadiakos maintain one of the league’s higher goals-for tallies.
- Yuri Lodygin is Levadiakos’ last line of defense and his goalkeeping will be tested by PAOK’s relentless attacking.
- Levadiakos’ defensive frailties have been evident in their recent defeats, 0-4 to AEK Athens and 1-4 to Panathinaikos.
- On both occasions, their defence was over-run by the opposition’s pressing game.
Head-to-Head
- PAOK have dominated the H2H with Levadiakos, winning 14 of the last 20 official clashes.
- Levadiakos shocked PAOK in the Greek Cup, winning 4-1, so there are no guarantees that the home team will breeze this one.
Key Players
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PAOK
- Giannis Konstantelias - creative force behind the striker.
- Giorgos Giakoumakis - PAOK’s top goalscorer, a threat on set plays.
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Levadiakos
- Fabricio Pedrozo - main attacking threat.
- Alen Ožbolt - strike partner who chips in with goals.
- Yuri Lodygin - Levadiakos’ goalkeeper whose form will be important against PAOK’s attack.
Betting Insights
- PAOK are priced at 1.32 and Levadiakos at 9.8.
- Backing the No side of the Both teams to score market at 1.62 is the main selection, as Levadiakos have been struggling and conceded 9 goals in their last three matches.
Prediction
The dry, mild weather should be ideal for an open game in Thessaloniki on Sunday and both teams could play their part, but it is more likely that PAOK’s tactical discipline and squad depth will see them take all the points.
