Olympiacos vs Pafos Prediction for 18 September 2025 - Football

🔊 Will Olympiacos secure points in their Champions League opener? On Wednesday, September 17th, in the first round of the UEFA Champions League, Cyprus' Pafos will visit Greece to take on Olympiacos. The home side enters this clash as overwhelming favorites according to the bookmakers. But can they truly demonstrate their superiority against a less experienced opponent? Read our material for a prediction on the outcome of this match.

Head-to-Head

📊 These teams have never faced each other before.

Olympiacos Team Overview

🔴 In Greece, the official season kicked off just under a month ago, but Olympiacos have already played three matches in the national championship. José Luis Mendilibar's squad emerged victorious in all three encounters, not conceding a single goal while scoring nine times. These victories have propelled the "red and whites" to the top of the Greek Super League standings.

⚪ Let's recap how Olympiacos' matches have unfolded this season. In the first and third rounds, they played at home, defeating Asteras (2-0) and Panserraikos (5-0) respectively. In their second league match, Mendilibar's men confidently dispatched Volos on the road. A standout performance came from the Iranian-Moroccan forward duo of Mehdi Taremi and Ayoub El Kaabi, who collectively scored four goals, leading the team's scoring charts.

Pafos Team Overview

🔵 Last season, Pafos made history by winning the Cypriot championship for the first time, earning a spot in the Champions League qualifiers. In mid-July, the team began navigating through the qualifying rounds. Juan Carlos Carcedo's squad dispatched European mid-tier teams one after another, leaving behind Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, and Red Star Belgrade. Notably, the Cypriot club remained unbeaten throughout the qualification phase, recording 2 draws and 4 wins. Last season, Pafos made their debut in European competitions and reached the Round of 16 in the Conference League. Now, they are set to battle it out in the Champions League group stage.

🟡 As for the national league, the Cypriot championship has already kicked off, with three rounds completed—Pafos missed one due to their Champions League commitments. Under Carcedo's guidance, they currently sit mid-table with one win and one loss. However, it's clear that their main focus is on the Champions League campaign.

Latest news

Olympiacos

📄 On the final day of the summer transfer window, Olympiacos made several significant signings to strengthen their squad. They secured Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi from Inter for 2 million euros. Taremi has already made an impact, scoring twice in his debut match in the Greek Super League. Additionally, they acquired Brazilian defender Gustavo Mancha from Fortaleza for 4.5 million euros.

🟥 Due to suspension, Olympiacos' first-choice goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis will miss the opening Champions League match.

❌ Ukrainian forward Roman Yaremchuk will be unavailable for the upcoming match due to a leg injury. He has yet to make an appearance this season and is expected to remain sidelined for the coming weeks.

Pafos

📄 Ahead of the first round of the Champions League, Pafos have announced transfer deals aimed at strengthening their squad. Serbian defender Ognjen Mimović has joined on loan from Fenerbahçe. Swedish midfielder Vilmer Odefalk has also moved on loan from Brommapojkarna, with Pafos planning to secure a permanent deal with a buyout option.

❌ There are no injury concerns for Pafos. The team heads into the upcoming match against Olympiacos with a full-strength lineup.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The referee appointed for the upcoming match is Istvan Kovacs. Over a span of 100 matches, he averages a fairly high number of yellow cards at 4.8 per game, with 24 fouls. In their last 10 games, Olympiacos average 1.8 yellow cards, while Pafos average 2.6. Considering both teams' stats and Kovacs' tendency to hand out "warnings," we suggest betting on total yellow cards over 4.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

The average goal total for the last 10 games between these opponents varies significantly but shows a trend towards low-scoring encounters. Olympiacos have an average of 2.6, while Pafos are at just 1.5. This indicates strong defensive play, with both teams scoring sparingly and not allowing much at their own end. A sensible bet for this matchup would be total goals under 3.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Both teams prefer expansive attacking play, frequently utilizing the wings for advancement, leading to corner kicks. Over a span of ten matches, Olympiacos average 5.8 corners per game, while Pafos average 4.7. It's unlikely that either team will hold back in their attacking efforts in the first round, so we recommend considering a bet on total corners over 9.5.

After a five-year hiatus, Olympiacos return to the group stage (now called the "league stage") of the Champions League. Having been absent from the elite European competition for some time, expectations for their performance should be tempered, even against less experienced clubs like the Cypriot side they face, where they might encounter challenges. As for Pafos, they are riding high on momentum, having navigated through strong opponents in the qualifiers without suffering a single defeat, including away games. We believe the Cypriot club can secure a draw against Olympiacos, with the match likely ending in a 1-1 stalemate. Considering both teams' statistics and current form, we suggest betting on Pafos with a +1.5 handicap.