Panathinaikos vs Go Ahead Prediction for 3 October 2025 - Football

📢 Can Panathinaikos live up to their favorites tag in the home clash against Go Ahead Eagles at the Athens Olympic Stadium in the second round of the Europa League? The Greek side, buoyed by a resounding victory over Young Boys, approach the fixture with high spirits and aim to build on their success. Meanwhile, the "Eagles" have yet to impress in both their domestic league and European competitions, making this upcoming encounter a significant challenge for them. All these factors make the match in Athens one of the most intriguing in the evening lineup.

Head-to-Head

📊 Panathinaikos and Go Ahead Eagles have never faced each other in official competitions before, making the upcoming match their first head-to-head encounter.

Panathinaikos Athens Team Overview

🟢 Last season, Panathinaikos finished as runners-up in the Greek Super League, earning a spot in the Champions League qualifiers. However, at the start of the new season, the team hasn't been delivering top-notch performances. The "Shamrocks" fell short in the second qualifying round of Europe's premier club competition, losing to Rangers (1-3), and consequently found themselves in the Europa League group stage. Their domestic campaign hasn't been smooth either; after four rounds, Panathinaikos have only 5 points and sit in the lower half of the table.

⚪ Nevertheless, it's hard to ignore the club's progress: last weekend, they secured their first league victory, defeating Panetolikos away with a 2-1 scoreline. The winning goal came in the 90+5th minute, but Panathinaikos dominated the match, and a draw would have been unjust.

📌 Their Europa League campaign kicked off impressively: in the opening round, the Greeks traveled to Switzerland to face Young Boys and thrashed the local powerhouse 4-1, leading 3-0 by the 20th minute. Swiss goalkeeper Marvin Keller's poor performance, marked by several glaring errors, played a part, but credit must also be given to the Greeks' aggressive approach that overwhelmed their opponents from the outset.

Go Ahead Eagles Team Overview

🔴 Last season, Go Ahead Eagles made history by winning the KNVB Cup for the first time since the 1932/33 season. The team showcased commendable performance levels, despite their recent promotion from the second tier. It seemed like the "Eagles" were poised to take a step forward and aim for higher goals in the new season, but instead, they've shown signs of regression. After seven rounds in the Eredivisie, the club sits in 10th place with just 9 points and only two victories. Last weekend, Go Ahead Eagles suffered a surprising defeat to a weaker Telstar side (2-4), who were in the relegation zone prior to the match.

🟡 Their Europa League campaign also got off to a rocky start, despite expectations of securing three points. In the first round, the Dutch side hosted Romanian outfit FCSB and were considered clear favorites, yet they couldn't break down their opponent's defense over 90 minutes and conceded a goal, losing 0-1. Despite having 73% possession and a significant advantage in shots, Go Ahead Eagles failed to create truly dangerous opportunities.

Latest news

Panathinaikos Athens

📣 After the match against Panetolikos (2-1), Christos Kontis, serving as the interim head coach, highlighted the team's character: "We believed until the end. We were the better team on the pitch, conceding only from a penalty. We worked until the final whistle, sought solutions, and achieved the result through teamwork. Patience brought us victory."

🚫 Panathinaikos are facing several squad issues. Goalkeeper Bartłomiej Drągowski is sidelined with a muscle injury, but his recovery is expected to take just a few days. In a similar situation is Cyriel Dessers, who is nursing an ankle injury. A more significant blow is Facundo Pellistri, who suffered a hamstring injury and will be out for a longer period.

Go Ahead Eagles

📣 After the match against Telstar (2-4), Go Ahead Eagles' head coach Melvin Boel couldn't hide his disappointment with his team's performance: "I'm definitely angry and frustrated. We discussed before the match that Telstar play one-on-one, and we understood that finding a free player would be tough, but there would be open spaces. We needed to exploit those, but in the first half, we were just retreating... When you engage in duels so sluggishly, you make everything incredibly easy for the opponent. Without giving your all, you'll simply be swept off the field." 

🚫 Go Ahead Eagles are also dealing with some squad issues. Oscar Sivertsen is out until mid-October. Additionally, Søren Tengstedt and Pim Saathof are doubtful; they could potentially feature if cleared by the medical staff.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Both teams are still searching for their rhythm at the start of the season and have yet to shine in attack. Chances are hard to come by, and finishing leaves much to be desired. This aligns with Panathinaikos' stats: in 13 of their last 15 matches, the bet on under 3.5 goals has been successful, a trend that dates back to the end of last season. All signs point to a high likelihood that the upcoming match won't be a goal-fest.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Go Ahead Eagles have been effective in their opponents' half, delivering at least four corners in 7 out of 8 games. While Panathinaikos are seen as favorites and likely to dominate possession, the visitors won't just sit back defensively. After all, they represent the Dutch league, not a weaker side from somewhere like Gibraltar. Therefore, the "Eagles" are quite capable of earning their corners in Athens. We are betting on Go Ahead Eagles over 3.5 corners.