Panathinaikos hosts Paks in Conference League qualifier

Panathinaikos will face Hungarian club Paks on July 30, 2026, at the OAKA stadium in Athens, in the return leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round. The Greek team holds a 2-1 advantage from the first match played in Hungary, positioning them favorably to advance to the third qualifying round where CSKA 1948 awaits the winner.

Following the final training session on July 29, Panathinaikos head coach Jacob Neestrup announced his squad, which includes key players such as Pena, Chaves, De Fry, and Pellistri. During the pre-match press conference, Neestrup emphasized the need for better finishing, despite his team creating numerous chances in the first leg. He highlighted that while the squad performed well defensively in the previous encounter, they must remain focused to avoid complacency given the narrow margin of the aggregate lead. The manager also expressed optimism regarding the support from the home crowd at OAKA.

This match marks the official home debut for Panathinaikos in the current season. The team is aiming to secure a qualification victory to progress in the European competition, relying on their narrow lead and tactical adjustments requested by Neestrup to maximize their scoring efficiency.