A heart-warming win over the weekend against rivals Anderlecht put us well underway for the UEFA Conference League first leg against PAOK Saloniki. Club's 15th European mission of the season promises to be a fiery one, with both teams all too eager to claim a good first leg result to put them in the driving seat for the Semis. Find out all there is to know in our Club Facts!
THE FIXTURE
It has been nine years since Club last made it to a European Round of 8. The road to the Quarter Finals saw a group win (facing FK Bodø/Glimt, Beşiktaş JK and FC Lugano), and a Round of 16 qualification against Molde FK. Last month's draw at Nyon set Club up with Greek PAOK Saloniki.
The encounters will be the second time the two teams cross swords on the European stage. Back in 2010-11, the UEFA Europa League group stages saw two 1-1 draws: at Jan Breydel Dorge Kouemaha put Club in the lead, only to see it cancelled out with twelve minutes to go by Stelios Malezas. At PAOK's Toumbas Stadium, Vieirinha opened the score, but Stefan Šćepović' late equaliser left the game undecided at full-time.
In six earlier European encounters with Greek teams, Club is still unbowed. If Club manage to beat PAOK tonight, it will be Club's 150th European win ((149W 78D 130L).
Only two players have featured at both teams in their career: Dimitri M’Buyu played for Club for one season back in 1989, and in a more recent past, Czech forward Michael Krmenčík also put on the Club jersey in the 2020 season.
Four Club players better avoid another booking: Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Ferran Jutglà and Igor Thiago will all be out for the return game if they grab another yellow tonight. All yellow cards will be rest by the Semis. Qualifying for the Semis means Club would be taking on FC Viktoria Plzeň (Cze) or ACF Fiorentina (Ita).
THE OPPONENT
The acronym PAOK stands for Panthessalonikeios Athlitikos Omilos Konstantinoupoliton, the Pan-Thessalonic Sports club from Constantinopolis. The team currently holds the top spot in the Greek play-offs. The team has won the league three times so far, with the last title back in 2019. The prize cabinet also boasts eight Cup wins, with the last only just in 2021.
In making it to the Round of Eight, PAOK has equalled the club record. PAOK made it to the Europacup II Round of 8 in 1974, and to the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022. In Olympiacos, there is more Greek representation in this round, with both teams all too willing to make it to the Finals, staged in Athens later on in May.
With 6 goals so far, 27 year old Andrija Živković tops the club's scorer's list in Europe. The PAOK selection harbours a number of players with a past in Belgium: William Troost-Ekong (30) played for KAA Gent in 2017, Souahilo Meité (30) joined Zulte Waregem from 2016 to 2017 , Giannis Konstantelias (21) has been on loan to KAS Eupen in 2021, and Ally Samatta (31) played for KRC Genk for six years (2016-2020 and 2022-23) and at Royal Antwerp FC (2021-22).
MILESTONES
Some fine stats for Club players ahead of the PAOK first leg:
· Raphael Onyedika is up for an 80th appearance at Club.
· Éder Balanta might well be playing his 25the European game for Club.
· While Casper Nielsen is up for a 20th game in Europe, just as Philip Zinckernagel (10 for Club, 6 for Olympiacos and 3 for FK Bodø/Glimt).
THE MAN IN BLACK
German referee Mr. Daniel Siebert has been appointed for the home game against PAOK, backed by his linesmen Mr. Jan Seidel and Mr. Rafael Foltyn, and with Mr. Sven Jablonski as fourth ref. VAR will be manned by Mr. Marco Fritz, assisted by Mr. Sören Storks.
For the 3rd time, this 39 year old ref will be handling the whistle in a European game featuring Club Brugge. Back in February 2019, he was in charge of the Europa League home encounter with (4-0), and in October of that same year he witnessed the trashing at the hands of PSG (0-5).
Mr. Siebert has been a top German referee for 12 years, with international games since 2015. He is a UEFA elite ref (the highest category) from Berlin. His career is filled with highlights, among them shifts at Euro2020, WC2022 and the German Cup final last season.