Are the Swedes fireproof?
Round two in the north-south summit and after the close game in the far north, it’s now off to one of the more unpleasant climes for an away game. The Toumba Stadium has a reputation that it lives up to time and time again. This is probably one of the reasons why the home win tip is priced quite low for PAOK Saloniki and Malmö
The two clubs have a relatively similar approach to tactics and this was quite evident in the first leg. There was plenty of spectacle and chances on both sides. The teams drew 2-2 a week ago. The big question now is who will be more daring in the second leg?
The teams’ recent performances have been mediocre at times. In the first leg, however, it became clear how close the second leg is likely to be.
Both the Greeks and the Swedes now have a few competitive games under their belts and, combined with the heat of the Peloponnese, the odds are clearly heading south for PAOK Thessaloniki v Malmö.
PAOK Thessaloniki – Statistics & current form
The Dikefalos tou Vorra circles above his eyrie. He feels at home there, because when he strikes, all hell breaks loose. The White and Blacks are one of the best examples of how good calm and consistency can be at management level. For decades labeled as the chaos club of the big four in the Peloponnese, the last decade has seen a transformation into a serious club.
The result is massive crowds, a strong atmosphere and a team that, like the club, loves the role of the underdog. So when PAOK Thessaloniki are predicted to win at home against Malmö, it’s mainly down to team spirit.
The Eagles’ game is built on compact defending and fast counter-attacks. Over the years, however, they have developed an irrepressible belief in their own strength. This “never say die-attitude” has led them to the successes of recent years and is one of the reasons why the Eagles do not lose their nerve even when trailing. Neither away from home nor at home
Patient and effective – PAOK adapts
This style of play and, above all, the philosophy was also more than evident in the first leg. The Greeks were neither the dominant team, nor did they have the upper hand in terms of chances.
They came to go home with a reasonable result. Above all, their tactical and mental ability was once again evident. After falling behind, they shifted up a gear and equalized. Half-time two saw another deficit and another equalizer.
A little more offense can now be expected from the start in Thessaloniki, but the Eagles are unlikely to throw caution to the wind. So when betting odds speculate on a goal festival at PAOK Thessaloniki and Malmö, this must be viewed with a little caution. Both can be spectacular, but they don’t have to be.
Foreseen line-up of PAOK Saloniki:
Kotarski – Sastre, Kedziora, Koulierakis, Baba – Schwab, Osdoev – Zivkovic, Konstantelias, Murg – Taison
Malmö – Statistics & current form
The Sky Blues dominated the first leg. But it didn’t help. How will they approach the second leg? The Swedish record champions’ playing blueprint is not dissimilar to that of the Thessalians. In games against smaller teams, they inevitably play the active part. In the big matches, good defense and efficiency are often enough for them.
In the first leg, they were beaten by precisely that style of play and now the question remains as to how they will approach it away from home. On the one hand, this is the perfect starting position for patience and an ice-cold counterattack. On the other hand, it was already clear in Sweden what can happen when the Eagles take off.
So if the prediction for a home win in PAOK Saloniki v Malmö looks far better, this does not necessarily mean that the Swedes have no chance as the odds suggest. But they urgently need to come up with something
A case of “don’t hunt what you can’t kill? “
This was the impression spectators got at times in the first leg. The Himmelblaue side started surprisingly staid at first. PAOK had around 70% possession at times. Contrary to this, the Swedes then took the lead. However, that only seemed to bother the Greeks marginally, as parity was established just ten minutes later.
The second half surprised with an extremely dominant Malmö. The Swedes seemed to have recognized the seriousness of the situation and exceeded the 80% mark in ball possession, including the lead. Everyone was waiting for the third goal and the Eagles promptly struck.
A textbook attack was completed and spiced up the second leg. Malmö did not have the means to bring down the men from Thessaloniki, neither by waiting nor by attacking fully. It will be interesting to see how they approach the second leg on unfamiliar territory. PAOK can be both active and reactive. That’s unlikely to conjure up a storming run of goals in the first half, but if there’s a team that’s ruthless and efficient, it won’t necessarily be wearing light blue in this clash.
Predicted Malmö line-up:
Dahlin – Busanello, Zatterstrom, Jansson, Larsen – Nanasi, Pena, Johnsen, Bolin – Botheim, Thelin
PAOK Thessaloniki – Malmö head-to-head / H2H record
Not only due to the geographical distance, this duel has been rather rare so far. To be more precise, the first leg from the previous week was the first dance in the recent past. But if that has given you a taste of what to expect in the second leg, then PAOK Thessaloniki and Malmö are worth another look at the odds for goals. Both have enough gunpowder on board for a little cannonade
PAOK Saloniki – Malmö betting tip
The approach of the teams will probably change a little. Only the active and reactive parts could swap places here due to the reversed home conditions. However, it became clear a week ago that this only has a limited impact on the entertainment
According to the bookmakers, PAOK Thessaloniki vs. Malmö will end with bet 1 and thus the promotion of the Thessalians. Judging by their performances in the previous season, this is certainly conceivable and possible.
However, we should not make the mistake of completely disregarding the Swedes. The box is tight enough for a few overtime games. This should also be taken into account on the betting slip
