PAOK vs Rijeka Prediction: Greek hosts to seal qualification

PAOK welcome Rijeka to Thessaloniki on Thursday (18:30 BST) as the pair meet in the second leg of the final Uefa Europa League qualification round at Toumba Stadium. Greek outfit PAOK remain favourites for the tie despite a surprise 1-0 defeat in Croatia in the first leg last week.

Below are my PAOK vs Rijeka predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

PAOK made hard work of the previous round of Europa League qualifying but got the job done eventually against Wolfsberger and must come from one goal down against Rijeka to ensure Europa League football this campaign.

Football Odds

The Greek outfit will be at full strength for this match, providing Razvan Lucescu with some difficult selections to make. Kiril Despodov scored just one minute after coming on as a substitute last time out and is pushing for a place in the starting XI this week.

Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis and Luka Ivanusec have joined this summer, and both could be in line for a start against Rijeka.

Today's Football Fixtures

The Croatian outfit rested several players at the weekend ahead of this tie, but all are expected to come back into the team. The visitors are likely to name an unchanged XI from the one that beat PAOK last week. Mile Skoric and Dominik Yankov remain on the sidelines through injury.

PAOK vs Rijeka Odds

PAOK are 5/6 favourites to progress from this tie, and 4/7, or a 63.6% chance, to win this match within 90 minutes. Rijeka are priced at 9/2 for a surprise victory and 5/6 to get through the tie by any means. The draw is available at 11/4.

PAOK to win the tie @ 5/6

Heading into the match 1-0 down on aggregate, PAOK offer better value to win the tie by any means than they do to win the match in 90 minutes.

The Greek outfit should be too strong for their visitors and, with far greater European experience behind them, backing the home side to qualify looks a solid option.

PAOK dominated proceedings in Croatia last week with 65% possession, but their rustiness in front of goal cost them, with only two of their nine shots hitting the target. Their display in the domestic league over the weekend was much improved, with 67% possession turned into 19 shots and seven on target and an xG of 2.02.

Lucescu’s team know that nothing but a win will do, and despite their stuttering start to the season, they have the quality to get the job done in Thessaloniki.

Over 2.5 goals @ 11/10

Rijeka have kept just one clean sheet in their past four matches, during the win over PAOK, and have hit the back of the net in six of their last eight.

PAOK will have to go out and attack Rijeka as nothing but a win will do for the Greek outfit, leaving themselves open to the Croatian team’s counter-attacking style. Goals at both ends of the pitch could ensue, with PAOK likely to get the better of the tie and seal a spot in the Europa League proper.

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