Celta vs PAOK Prediction for 3 October 2025 - Football

🔊 Which of these two struggling clubs can break their losing streak in this head-to-head clash? Celta have been underwhelming in La Liga and mirrored that form in the Europa League, where they fell to Stuttgart in their opening match. Similarly, PAOK looked lackluster in their debut, grinding out a dull goalless draw at home against Maccabi. At this rate, these teams might soon face some personnel changes. Let's discuss how this encounter might unfold and offer an insightful prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 These two teams have not faced each other before.

Celta de Vigo Team Overview

Claudio Giráldez's squad had an impressive last season, finishing seventh in La Liga. However, this season they've stalled right from the start, joining Girona as the only teams without a win after seven rounds—five draws and two losses. Once again, it seems that mid-tier clubs tend to falter the season following their entry into European competitions. Celta are struggling significantly in attack, averaging less than one goal per game (six goals in seven matches). In their away defeat to Elche last weekend (1-2), defensive issues also came to light. Remarkably, the Galicians allowed 3.35 expected goals (shots on target were 2-8) and completely collapsed in the second half (expected goals ratio was 1.80-0.03). This might have been a result of fatigue from their Europa League opener—just three days before that match, Celta lost away to Stuttgart (1-2).

While the club's main attacking hope, Iago Aspas, remains dormant, Borja Iglesias has stepped up early in the season. The forward has scored in five consecutive matches. However, fans are still hopeful for Aspas' resurgence, as he has netted six goals in 16 Europa League appearances. This statistic might inspire him to deliver a stellar performance against PAOK.

PAOK Thessaloniki Team Overview

The situation within the Greek side mirrors that of their current opponents. PAOK travel to Galicia on a four-match winless streak (three draws, one loss). They failed to secure a victory in their recent Europa League outing at home against Maccabi Tel Aviv (0-0). The team looked lively in attack, creating 2-3 solid scoring opportunities, but also allowed gaps between the lines, leaving themselves vulnerable to counterattacks from the Israeli side. Following that match, PAOK engaged in a goal-fest with Asteras in their domestic league (3-3), having led 3-1 during the game. Once again, their defense faced scrutiny for allowing opponents easy access into the penalty area.

However, PAOK are performing well in the Greek Super League, sitting in third place after five rounds, just two points shy of the leaders. During this short span, midfielders Kiril Despodov and Dimitris Pelkas have stood out, each netting two goals. Russian forward Fyodor Chalov also made his mark by scoring his first goal of the season in the aforementioned clash with Asteras. He converted from the penalty spot, and perhaps the former CSKA Moscow striker is saving an open-play goal for the upcoming trip to Celta.

Latest news

Celta de Vigo

🎤 Celta's head coach reflected on his team's issues following their defeat to Elche: "In many matches, we were close to victory and dominated, and it felt like we were staying true to ourselves. I believe my players currently feel uncomfortable on the pitch. If anyone wants to doubt something, let them doubt me, not the players who are giving their all."

❌ The team has no new injuries. Mijailo Ristic and Sergio Carreira remain sidelined.

PAOK Thessaloniki

🎤 PAOK's head coach Razvan Lucescu shared his thoughts on the clash with Asteras and addressed questions about whether his team is in a crisis: "Yes, mistakes were made, but the team is by no means giving up. I don't see any player who has thrown in the towel. I know in Greece many are quick to talk about a crisis after a poor result."

❌ The Thessaloniki club are gearing up for their match in Vigo with a full squad, except for Dimitris Pelkas, who suffered a muscle injury on September 20 during the game against Panetolikos. His return is expected only after the upcoming international break.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by the main referee Igor Pajač from Croatia. In the previous Europa League campaign, he showed an average of 2.2 yellow cards over 5 matches. However, in the Croatian league, this figure is significantly higher, with an average of 3.6 yellow cards over the last 10 games.

This season, Celta have been playing quite disciplined football, receiving only 1.57 warnings on average in La Liga. In their Europa League match against Stuttgart, the Spanish club picked up just 2 warnings. PAOK shows a similar trend, averaging 1.60 yellow cards over 5 rounds and just 1 in their European clash with Maccabi. Therefore, there are solid grounds to expect a clean game in Vigo. Our prediction: total yellow cards under 4.

⚽ Goals Prediction

Matches involving Celta this season have rarely been high-scoring affairs, with the total over 2.5 goals being achieved only twice in 8 games. A similar scenario unfolds in PAOK's Europa League encounters, where no more than one goal was scored in 4 out of 5 matches. Thus, a reasonable bet seems to be total goals under 2.5.

🚩 Corners Prediction

PAOK are currently one of the most prolific teams in Greece when it comes to corners, averaging 6.6 per game. In their last Europa League match, the Greeks delivered an impressive 9 corners. Celta also favor earning these set pieces, with an average of 6.16 corners in La Liga. In their Europa League game against Stuttgart, they conceded 9 corners. We believe PAOK will assert themselves in this aspect even on the road. Our bet: PAOK total corners over 3.5.

Bookmakers have pegged the home side as clear favorites for this clash. However, we believe betting on Celta in their current poor form is unwise. Recent matches have revealed the Spanish side's defensive vulnerabilities, even against mediocre opponents, and playing at home might only add pressure on them. It's telling that in their past low-scoring scenarios, Celta have not only managed to score in just 2 out of their last 8 matches but also allowed their opponents to find the net frequently. We anticipate PAOK will play on the counterattack and could easily snag a goal in transition. Therefore, we suggest placing a bet on both teams to score (yes).