Celta Vigo vs PAOK Prediction: Ninth time lucky for Los Celestes

Two out-of-form sides, Celta Vigo and PAOK, meet in gameweek two of the Uefa Europa League league phase on Thursday (20:00 BST, TNT Sports Extra). Hosts Celta Vigo are winless in eight games this season (D5, L3), and lost their opening European match 2-1 at Stuttgart last Thursday.

PAOK, meanwhile, are without a win in their last four (D3, L1), which includes a goalless home draw with Maccabi Tel Aviv last Wednesday. Below are my Celta Vigo vs PAOK predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this midweek contest at the Estadio de Balaidos in Vigo.

Team News

Celta Vigo are missing Carl Starfelt, Sergio Carreira (both ankle) and Mihailo Ristic (back) on Thursday.

Los Celestes head coach Claudio Giraldez could make changes to his starting XI following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Elche, with Iago Aspas, Williot Swedberg, Javier Rodriguez and Fran Beltran among those eyeing promotions from the bench.

Football Odds

As for PAOK, Dimitrios Pelkas (muscle) is injured, while Luka Gugeshashvili, Thomas Murg, Dimitrios Berdos and Mahamadou Balde were all left out of their squad for the league phase.

Abdul Rahman Baba and Andrija Zivkovic are two of several players looking to earn starts in Spain, after beginning Sunday's 3-3 draw with Asteras on the sideline.

Today's Football Fixtures

Celta Vigo vs PAOK Odds

Celta are 8/11 to break out of their winless run on Thursday, implying a 57.9% probability of success, while PAOK are 18/5, or a 21.7% chance, to triumph on their travels for the first time since September 14, when they beat OFI Crete 2-1 in the Greek Super League.

The draw is priced at 11/4, both teams to score at 4/5, and over 2.5 total goals at 10/11.

Correct Score - 1-0 Celta Vigo @ 6/1

Celta have scored exactly one goal in each of their last seven games, but a failure to keep any clean sheets has denied them the opportunity to win. Still, they drew the first five of those 1-1, before losing the next two by a 2-1 scoreline, showing that while they haven't been able to record a shutout, they've not been turned over, either.

The Vigo side might be hopeful of keeping their first clean sheet of the season on Thursday, with PAOK, who blanked in back-to-back goalless draws with Panetolikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv before drawing 3-3 at Asteras on Sunday, providing the opposition at the Estadio de Balaidos.

PAOK also failed to score in their first three European games of the campaign, drawing 0-0 home and away with Wolfsberger before overcoming the Austrians on penalties, and losing 1-0 at Croatian club Rijeka in the first leg of their play-off tie.

Without a win in their last four games, starting with a shock 4-1 defeat at Levadiakos in the Greek Cup on September 17, the visitors aren't in great shape themselves, and have arguably played poorer opposition than Celta, who have managed to avoid defeat against Real Betis and Villarreal, among others, in La Liga.

Goals could be at a premium in Vigo on Thursday, but if there's going to be a winner, I'd back it to be the hosts, so I'm having a nibble on a 1-0 victory at 6/1.

Player to Receive a Card - Magomed Ozdoev (PAO) @ 9/4

PAOK midfielder Magomed Ozdoev played the first 66 minutes of last week's stalemate with Maccabi Tel Aviv but was dropped down to the bench for Sunday's six-goal thriller with Asteras, appearing as a 53rd-minute substitute and going into the book in the 65th.

The 32-year-old, who was shown 10 yellows last season, six in the Greek Super League, one in the Greek Cup, one in a Uefa Champions League qualifier, and two in the Europa League, should be restored to PAOK's starting XI in Vigo, though, making him an attractive proposition in the 'Player to Receive a Card' market.

Ozdoev made three fouls against Maccabi Tel Aviv and is averaging 1.4 fouls per game in the Greek Super League. Sunday's caution wasn't his first of the season, though, as he was booked home and away against Wolfsberger in PAOK's play-off tie with the Austrian outfit.

The Russian could be in a midfield battle with Celta's Ilaix Moriba, who averaged 1.8 fouls won per game in La Liga last season and coaxed Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic into a yellow-card challenge last Thursday.

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