PAOK vs Ferencvaros prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-12-11 17:45.
[p]Greece meets Hungary for a UEFA Europa League (UEL) showdown with PAOK hosting Ferencváros on matchday six of the new league phase format. The hosts are coming into this game in a rich vein of form after last tasting defeat in early November (W4, D1), although their 2-0 travelling victory over Rigas, which came within that run, serves as their only win in this competition so far, leaving them in 27th place ahead of the round. [/p]
[p]Even if PAOK lean perilously close to instant elimination from the competition, their recent purple patch has seen them strike a whopping 17 goals, culminating in a pair of 7-1 and 4-1 victories. Next up on the list of priorities is to grab consecutive victories in the UEL proper for the first time since 2016/17, but they’ve never tasted victory against a Hungarian side before (D2, L2)![/p]
[p]That might give some much-needed confidence to a Ferencváros side which has endured a mixed bag of results (W1, D1, L1) since their impressive 4-1 UEL victory over Malmö in their last outing in this competition. In fact, that victory meant they have won three successive outings in the UEL group/league phase for the first time this century and sees them sit in an impressive 11th place ahead of this round.  [/p]
[p]Despite their opponents coming into this game as favourites and scoring freely recently, don’t expect this to be open season on the Ferencváros net as they’ve conceded just one goal-per-game on average across their five UEL games so far (W3, L2). And considering they’re a side which currently have the competition’s current top scorer in Barnabás Varga (G5), don’t be surprised to see them notch one or two of their own! [/p]
[p]Players to watch: With five goal contributions in his last four games, including a goal and assist in his side’s last UEL outing, Kiril Despodov is one to keep an eye out for. Current king of the competition Varga will not want to be upstaged however, and he’ll want to add to his six goals from his last five outings including a brace in his last appearance in the competition. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: PAOK have scored before the seventh minute in three of their last four outings. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Luke Bridle[/i][/p]