On Thursday, April 18th, a match between PAOK and Club Brugge is scheduled. This encounter is the second match in the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League. The previous match went in favor of Club Brugge, but as the only Belgian club in Europe, it will still be very challenging.
Conference League
The Conference League is an annual European football competition. It is the third most important competition in European football, after the Champions League and the Europa League. The Conference League has only been played since the 2021-2022 season. For Club Brugge, it is their first time participating in this competition, while for PAOK, it is their second time. It would be the first time for both teams to reach the semifinals.
The two teams that have won the Conference League so far are AS Roma and West Ham United. AS Roma won the inaugural edition by defeating Feyenoord 1-0 in the final. West Ham United is the current title holder after defeating Fiorentina 2-1 last year. Roma and West Ham are not participating in the Conference League this year.
PAOK – Club Brugge
This match is the second leg in the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League. This means that these two teams have already faced each other. In that match, Club Brugge won 1-0, but the sporting aspect was somewhat overshadowed by the actions of the Belgian police against Greek fans. PAOK also filed an official complaint. Club Brugge is already urging fans traveling to Greece to be cautious.
PAOK Thessaloniki
PAOK Thessaloniki is a multisport club from Thessaloniki, Greece, and its club colors are black and white. PAOK is known for its passionate supporters, as was evident in the match against Club Brugge. The club won the Greek championship on April 21, 2019, for the first time in 34 years, also achieving their first double in club history. They have been crowned league champions 3 times and won the cup final 8 times. They have yet to win any titles in Europe.
The Greek club topped Group G, competing against Eintracht Frankfurt, Aberdeen, and HJK Helsinki. In the round of 16, they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the first leg but managed to overturn the deficit in the second leg with a 5-1 victory. As a result, they progressed to the quarterfinals, where they lost the first leg to Club Brugge 1-0.
In the Greek league, PAOK finished at the top of the table after the regular season, but they are currently in 3rd place. With several matches remaining, they still have a chance to win the title. They are led by Razvan Lucescu, who has been in charge since 2021. Andrija Zivkovic has been the top scorer for PAOK so far, with a total of 16 goals.
Club Brugge
This West Flemish club was founded on November 13, 1891, and holds registration number 3. Since 1959, it has played continuously in the Jupiler Pro League, the top division of Belgian football. Of the two Bruges teams, Cercle Brugge and Club Brugge, the latter is the most successful and popular. It has been crowned league champion eighteen times. In Belgium, only RSC Anderlecht, their opponent in this match, has earned more league titles. Club Brugge has won more cups and super cups than any other club in Belgium. Club Brugge is also the only Belgian club to have reached the final of the European Cup I, or the Champions League.
Club Brugge also topped their group, facing Bodo/Glimt, Besiktas, and Lugano. In the round of 16, they were unable to defeat Molde, with the match ending 2-1. However, they performed better at home, winning 3-0. In the previous match, the first leg of the quarterfinals, they defeated PAOK 1-0. The goal was scored by Hugo Vetlesen in the 6th minute.
The coach at Club Brugge is temporarily Nicky Hayen. The team relies heavily on Belgian players, such as Simon Mignolet and Hans Vanaken. However, Mignolet is unlikely to be fit enough for the quarterfinal. Additionally, the participation of Andreas Skov Olsen, Denis Odoi, and Casper Nielsen is uncertain.
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