paokfc.gr/First Team/Malmo vs. PAOK: Facts & Figures
Malmo vs. PAOK: Facts & Figures
Ahead of PAOK’s UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round, first-leg clash with Malmo in Sweden, paokfc.gr puts you in the picture about the background to the match with some interesting facts and stats.
- The two victories over Borac gave PAOK the qualification for the second step in the Champions League qualifiers and now they face Malmo, with the Double-headed Eagle meeting a team from Sweden for the second time in their European history.
- The first was against Ostersund in 2017-18, where they were eliminated from the Europa League qualifiers. A 3-1 victory (38′ Leo Matos, 77′ Prijovic, 88′ Prijovic – 22′ Nuri) in Thessaloniki on August 17, 2017 was not enough. A 2-0 defeat (71′, 78′) saw PAOK bow out.
- For Malmö, it will be their second experience against a Greek team, after in 2014-15 they were in the same group as Olympiacos in the Champions League and won 2-0 in Sweden on October 1, 2014 and were defeated 4-2 in December 9, 2014 in Piraeus.
- This is the seventh year that PAOK is in the Champions League qualifiers, with the first in 2004-05 being decided by away goals against Maccabi in the first match and then again in 2010-11 against Ajax (1-1 in the Netherlands and 3-3 in Thessaloniki).
- In 2013-14, Metalist’s suspension led PAOK to the Champions League Playoffs for the first time, where they were eliminated by Schalke after a 1-1 draw in Germany and a 3-2 defeat at the Toumba.
- Ajax followed in 2016-17 in the 3rd qualifying round with a 1-1 draw in the Netherlands and a 2-1 loss in Thessaloniki. In 2018-19 they progressed to the Playoffs for the second time. They eliminated Basel with a 2-1 win at the Toumba and in Switzerland (3-0), then they beat Spartak Moscow 3-2 in Thessaloniki and drew 0-0 in Russia. In the Playoffs they drew 1-1 in Portugal with Benfica and lost 4-1 at the Toumba.
- 2019-20 were the last time they were in Champions League qualifying, where they again found themselves in front of Ajax and after a 2-2 draw at the Toumba, they bowed out following a controversial 3-2 defeat in Holland.
