Preview: PAOK vs Dynamo Kiev - prediction, team news, lineups

PAOK will be looking to book their place in the next round of Europa League qualifying when they welcome Dynamo Kiev to the Toumba Stadium on Thursday.

The hosts head into the second leg with a major advantage, having won the first leg of the second round qualifying tie 3-2.

Match preview

PAOK are looking to qualify for the Europa League for the 10th time in their history, having reached the knockout phase playoffs last season.

Dikefalos finished third in the Greek Super League last season and have entered a new era this season, with Alessio Lisci replacing Razvan Lucescu as manager.

Lisci's first competitive game in charge was the first leg against Dynamo Kiev, which saw them come from behind to win 3-2 thanks to goals from Giannis Konstantelias, Christos Zafeiris and Baptiste Santamaria.

The Italian will be keen to build on that result in the second leg and will be buoyed by the fact that PAOK went unbeaten at home in the league last season, picking up 12 wins and four draws in 16 games.

© Iconsport / Eurokinissi

Dynamo Kiev, meanwhile, are looking to qualify for the Europa League for the 11th time in their history.

Last season, they competed in the Conference League for the first time, but were eliminated in the group stage after picking up two wins and four defeats.

Igor Kostyuk's side already beat Cluj in the first round of Europa League qualifying and will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to PAOK in the first leg of the second round.

There is just a one-goal deficit for them to overturn, with Volodymyr Brazhko and Justin Lonwijk on target last week.

PAOK Europa League form:

W

Dynamo Kiev Europa League form:

D D L

Team News

© Imago / Ukrinform

PAOK will have to make at least one change after Taha Ali picked up an injury in the first leg, with Taison expected to replace him in the starting lineup.

Konstantelias, Zafeiris and Santamaria are all set to continue in midfield after finding the back of the net last week.

Dynamo Kiev could bring Lonwijk into the side after he scored off the bench in the first leg, with Mykola Shaparenko the most likely to make way.

Matviy Ponomarenko is set to continue up front, with support from Nazar Voloshyn and Eduardo Guerrero out wide.

PAOK possible starting lineup:

Pavlenka; Kenny, Hatzidiakos, Michailidis, Gomez; Santamaria, Zafeiris; Zivkovic, Konstantelias, Taison; Mythou

Dynamo Kiev possible starting lineup:

Neshcheret; Kedziora, Bilovar, Mykavko, Dubinchak; Pikhalyonok, Brazhko, Lonwijk; Voloshyn, Ponomarenko, Guerrero

We say: PAOK 1-0 Dynamo Kiev

PAOK had an excellent record at home last season and are already ahead on aggregate, which is why we are backing them to win on Thursday.

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