PAOK vs Anderlecht

The 2026-27 UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign reaches a critical juncture on August 6 as PAOK host Anderlecht in the first leg of their 3rd Qualifying Round tie. With a place in the Play-off round at stake, the Greek side enter the contest buoyed by a comprehensive aggregate victory over Dynamo Kyiv in the previous stage.

The match will be played at PAOK's usual home ground, where the atmosphere is expected to be typically fervent. The return leg is scheduled for Belgium a week later, leaving both sides with everything to play for.

PAOK Form Guide and European Progress

Razvan Lucescu's side navigated the second qualifying round with authority, following a 3-2 away victory over Dynamo Kyiv with a 2-0 home success to seal a 5-2 aggregate progression. The star of that second leg was Giannis Konstantelias, who according to local reports delivered a "superb" individual display.

Konstantelias opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time and struck again three minutes after the restart, effectively ending Dynamo's resistance. Those goals added to an already productive European campaign for the Thessaloniki club, who finished their domestic 2025-26 Greek Super League playoff round with a series of hard-fought draws against Panathinaikos, AEK Athens, and Olympiacos.

Anderlecht's Route to Thessaloniki

The Belgian side advanced through their own second qualifying round tie with a 4-2 aggregate scoreline, beating Hamburg 3-1 at home after a 1-1 draw in Germany. However, Anderlecht's domestic form at the tail end of last season raises questions: their 2025-26 Pro League playoff campaign concluded with a heavy 5-1 defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise, followed by a 3-1 win over Sint-Truiden and a 2-2 draw with KV Mechelen.

That 5-1 loss at the Stade Joseph Marien exposed defensive vulnerabilities that a PAOK attack brimming with confidence will look to exploit. Anderlecht's pedigree in European competition is substantial, but their recent away record in high-stakes fixtures requires improvement if they are to take a positive result back to Brussels.

Key Battle: Konstantelias vs Anderlecht's Back Line

The tie's most compelling individual matchup pits PAOK's in-form creator against an Anderlecht defence that shipped five goals in its final away match of last season. Konstantelias's ability to find pockets between the lines and finish clinically, as demonstrated against Dynamo Kyiv, makes him the obvious focal point for the hosts.

Anderlecht's midfield will need to shield their centre-backs effectively, cutting off the supply line that Konstantelias thrives on. If the Belgian side can disrupt that service, they stand a far better chance of containing a PAOK team that has scored five goals across its two most recent European home fixtures.

Team News and Selection Outlook

While neither club has released a formal injury update for this specific fixture, PAOK's recent match reports suggest Lucescu has a settled core at his disposal. Konstantelias is fit and firing, and the squad that dispatched Dynamo Kyiv appears ready for the step up in opposition quality.

Anderlecht's heavy defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise came in late May, and the summer break will have given their medical staff time to reintegrate any players carrying knocks from that period. Both managers face selection decisions around whether to prioritise European freshness or continuity from their qualifying campaigns.

The winner of this tie moves within 180 minutes of the Europa League group stage. For PAOK, a positive result at home is essential before the return leg in Belgium; for Anderlecht, an away goal and a manageable deficit would make them strong favourites to finish the job in front of their own supporters.