Preview: Lyon vs PAOK - prediction, team news, lineups

Lyon can claim the top seed heading into the Europa League knockout stage with a victory over PAOK at Groupama Stadium on the final matchday of the League Phase on Thursday.

A 1-0 win at Young Boys on matchday seven kept the French side on top of the table with 18 points, while the Greeks, six points behind, are in 12th after a solid 2-0 win over Real Betis.

Match preview

So far this year, Olympique Lyonnais have picked up where they left off in 2025, yet to drop a single point in a competitive fixture all month.

Coming into matchday eight, they are above Aston Villa for first on goal difference while riding an eight-match winning run across all competitions.

Paulo Fonseca’s men have already guaranteed themselves a place in the round of 16 and can win four straight group games in this competition for the first time since 2022 (five).

Lyon have won their last five home contests across all competitions and have not dropped a single point at Groupama Stadium in the tournament so far.

The joint third-best defensive unit in Ligue 1, regarding goals conceded (20), are tied with Freiburg for the fewest goals allowed, each giving up only three in the League Phase of this competition.

Never have they been beaten by a Greek side in Lyon, with Les Gones winning three of those four such home meetings all-time.

Entering the League Phase through a series of playoff matchups, PAOK are still standing and proving they can compete with the big teams in this competition.

Razvan Lucescu has guided them to three victories in this portion of the Europa League, none bigger than a 2-0 win in Thessaloniki last week.

That victory has given them a chance to earn an express pass into the last 16, trailing Betis by a mere two points for a spot in the top eight.

PAOK have gone on to win their previous seven competitive fixtures, posting four consecutive clean sheets over that span.

Away from home, they have netted in all three of their League Phase encounters while scoring three or more goals on two occasions.

Thursday will mark their third Europa League contest on French soil, and the Greeks claimed their first such victory in France at Lille on matchday three last October (4-3).

Lyon Europa League form:

Lyon form (all competitions):

PAOK Europa League form:

PAOK form (all competitions):

Team News

For this final matchday before the knockout round, Lyon could be without Malick Fofana, who has an ankle issue, Rachid Ghezzal and Abner are doubtful due to groin strains, while Ernest Nuamah is out because of a cruciate ligament tear.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles had their only goal on matchday seven in Switzerland as Remy Descamps did not have to make a single stop for the clean sheet.

On the other side, PAOK will likely be missing Luka Ivanusec on Thursday, with the Croatian on loan from Feyenoord dealing with a toe injury since late December.

Andrija Zivkovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis scored second-half goals in the game against Betis, while Antonis Tsiftsis had a clean sheet with two saves.

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Descamps; Maitland-Niles, Kluivert, Mata, Tagliafico; De Carvalho, Tessmann; Karabec, Tolisso, Moreira; Sulc

PAOK possible starting lineup:

Tsiftsis; Kenny, Kedziora, Michailidis, Rahman; Ozdoyev, Meite; Zivkovic, Pelkas, Konstantelias; Giakoumakis