Aberdeen returns to Europa Conference League action on Thursday afternoon(17:45) when visiting Greece, where they chase a revenge win over local side PAOK Salonika.
The Dons trip is live on TNT Sports, with Barry Robson’s side searching for a first win of the Group G campaign. Scottish football specialist Frank Monkhouse has given you his betting predictions.
PAOK sit proudly atop the pool, following three wins in their opening three games. Back-to-back victories over the Scottish Premiership team would secure the Greeks knockout football. Aberdeen are third of four following two defeats and a draw, claiming just one of the nine points available.
Team news
PAOK Salonika take to the field on Thursday looking to maintain their 100% record in Group G, following high-scoring wins over Helsinki, Frankfurt, and Aberdeen. The Greeks sit at the top of the pool, with nine points on the board, eight goals scored, and five conceded. Moving their winning streak to four from four would be the icing on the cake, allowing PAOK to plan for European football in the new year.
The hosts impressed in a 3-2 win at Pittodrie but have suffered a mixed bag of results in the Greek League since. They lost 2-0 away to AEK Athens – their first defeat in all competitions since early September. But PAOK bounced back with an important and morale-boosting 4-2 victory at Olympiakos on Sunday. That sets them up nicely for the visit of Aberdeen.
Since losing by the odd goal in five in that Pittodrie rollercoaster ride, Aberdeen has bagged two important wins. They beat Motherwell 4-2 on the road in Scottish Premiership action and topped that with a League Cup semi-final win over Hibs at Hampden on Sunday.
The Dons now have a final to look forward to against rivals Rangers next month, when returning to the national stadium. But they’ll also want to end the year still involved in European competition and know they need a win to stand any chance of avoiding elimination after six group games. The Dons are third, already five points behind Frankfurt in second.
Match Odds
The pre-match betting odds on this intriguing Europa Conference League fixture are available now at Betfred. The home win is favourite, with Betfred traders offering PAOK Salonika at 2/7, and that’s sure to feature in a fair share of midweek multiples.
Given Aberdeen’s improved results under Robson and the fact this is a must-win game for the visitors, there’s likely to be a little interest in the away win. Aberdeen to win and take three points back to the Granite City is 10/1 at Betfred with the draw at 9/2.
Over 2.5 goals – 8/15
Keeping the first meeting in mind, we’ll take over 2.5 goals in this game at odds of 8/15 with Betfred. It’s not a selection that carries much weight as a single, but it’ll certainly do a job in your Thursday accumulators.
Over 2.5 goals would’ve been a winning bet when Aberdeen played PAOK at Pittodrie. It’s a bet that would’ve banked you a return in seven of the host’s last ten games in all competitions. That would’ve also been the case in six of Aberdeen’s ten most recent outings.
PAOK win and both score – 9/5
Continuing with that train of thought, we offer a bet at improved odds for armchair fans looking to aim a little higher and add an extra edge of excitement to this 17:45 GMT kick-off. Considering the home advantage and the five-goal thriller at Pittodrie, we advise backing a home win and both to score.
Sticking with the same ten-game period, we see both teams scored in six games for PAOK and Aberdeen. The Dons know anything less than three points would spell the end of their European adventure, meaning Robson must send his team to attack. Salonika’s recent results suggest defending isn’t their strong point, but they certainly know the way to goal.
PAOK has scored eight and conceded five in three Group G games, while Aberdeen has scored four and conceded six. Back both teams to score in a home win, then sit back and enjoy what’s sure to be another end-to-end battle.
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