Preview: Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzen - prediction, team news, lineups

Only separated by goal difference in the hunt for top-eight spots in the Europa League's league phase, Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen will meet for an important contest in Athens on Thursday.

The teams sit 14th and 13th respectively with nine points on the board from five outings, just one point outside of the top eight with three games remaining.

Match preview

Panathinaikos return to action on Thursday in search of a third straight Europa League victory to continue their climb up the league-phase table.

The Greek outfit began with a victory and two defeats, and they have since moved within touching distance of the top eight with consecutive three-point hauls, firstly bouncing back to winning ways away at Malmo thanks to a solitary Filip Duricic goal.

The Trifylli then made it two wins from two continental outings under Rafael Benitez in late November, hosting Sturm Graz and winning 2-1 thanks to Karol Swiderski's opener and Davide Calabria's decisive goal 16 minutes from time.

They now head into Thursday's meeting on the back of a disappointing league outing at the weekend, having stayed sixth in the Greek top flight as they were held to a 2-2 draw away at AEL on Sunday, despite leading through Calabria and Anastasios Bakasetas, as Giannis Pasas converted an injury-time penalty for the hosts.

Now sitting just one point outside of the league phase's top eight spots, granting automatic progression to the final 16, with three games remaining, Panathinaikos will aim to continue their winning run on the continent on Thursday.

They face a tough test, though, with the visitors also hoping to crack the round-of-16 spots in the final games of the league phase.

After dropping out of Champions League qualifying, Viktoria Plzen entered the Europa League, after reaching the round of 16 last year, and they have enjoyed an unbeaten start.

The Czech outfit kicked off with a draw and then recorded their only two wins thus far against Malmo and Roma, before playing out back-to-back goalless draws against Fenerbahce and Freiburg in November.

Those results give them the Europa League's joint-best defensive record thus far, having only allowed two goals in their five games, but Martin Hysky's side suffered a domestic setback on Saturday, losing 3-0 away at Slovacko to leave them fifth in the Czech top flight.

Now heading into their final three league-phase matches in 13th spot and just one point behind seventh and eighth spots, Viktoria Plzen will bid to continue their unbeaten streak and improve their final-16 bid with a return to winning ways on Thursday.

Panathinaikos Europa League form:

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Panathinaikos form (all competitions):

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Viktoria Plzen Europa League form:

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Viktoria Plzen form (all competitions):

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Team News

Panathinaikos continue to contend with a long list of absentees, as Giorgos Kyriakopoulos, Philipp Max, Facundo Pellistri, Renato Sanches, Daniel Mancini, Giorgos Nikas and Tin Jedvaj will not be involved on Thursday.

With Cyriel Dessers also ineligible, Karol Swiderski is bound to lead the line having netted eight goals this season, including four in five Europa League games, while Anass Zaroury, Anastasios Bakasetas and Tete offer plenty of threat in support.

Despite being sent off late in their league draw against AEL at the weekend, defender Filip Mladenovic is able to feature with his suspension applying to their next domestic outing, while Emmanouil Siopis is back in contention after being suspended for the previous Europa League game.

Viktoria Plzen are without Milan Havel, Jan Kopic, Jiri Maxim Panos and Jan Paluska on Thursday, as they remain sidelined.

Rafiu Durosinmi has been their key man going forward this season, netting a team-high tally of 12 goals in all competitions including two in the Europa League.

He will have support from Matej Vydra, who has scored six goals in 13 league appearances this term, while Matej Valenta should again join mainstay Lukas Cerv in the engine room.

Panathinaikos possible starting lineup:

Kotsaris; Calabria, Palmer-Brown, Touba, Mladenovic; Siopis, Duricic; Zaroury, Bakasetas, Tete; Swiderski

Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:

Wiegele; Dweh, Jemelka, Doski; Souare, Cerv, Valenta, Memic; Vydra; Durosinmi, Adu

We say: Panathinaikos 2-1 Viktoria Plzen

We anticipate a tight contest on Thursday with both sides setting their sights on top-eight spots in the final knockings of the league phase and give a slight edge to Panathinaikos to hand Viktoria Plzen a first Europa League defeat of the season in Athens.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.