Panathinaikos vs Villarreal
UEFA Europa League
Group F
Thursday
21st September 2023
Athens Olympic Stadium
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of matchday 1 of the UEFA Europa League fixture between Panathinaikos and Villarreal.
Panathinaikos vs Villarreal: Preview
Panathinaikos form analysis
The Greens settled for a narrow 1-2 home loss to Braga in the first leg of their Champions League playoff after going behind early. Despite Djaló equalizing, they conceded late to leave themselves with too much to do.
Domestically though, Panathinaikos impressed by comfortably beating Volos 3-0 at home thanks to goals from Cerin, Ioannidis and Verbic. However, they could not overturn the first leg deficit against Braga, losing 0-1 at home.
In their last two Greek Superleague matches, Panathinaikos have returned to winning ways. A hard-fought 0-1 victory away at PAS Giannina courtesy of Palacios’ strike was followed up by a dominant 0-5 thrashing of Panaitolikos.
Overall, it’s been a positive spell for Panathinaikos despite their European disappointment. They have showcased their quality in attack while also grinding out narrow wins. Maintaining this form can help them go on a deep run.
Villarreal form analysis
Villarreal began with a disappointing 1-2 home loss to Champions League-chasing Real Betis after equalizing through Cuenca. Willian Jose’s late winner condemned them to defeat.
They did bounce back with a hard-fought 0-1 away win at Mallorca thanks to Gerard Moreno’s second half strike. However, Villarreal’s inconsistencies then came to the fore as they lost a seven-goal thriller 3-4 at home to Barcelona after twice taking the lead.
Most recently, Villarreal’s struggles continued with a 1-3 home loss to struggling Cadiz, going behind early before Machis’ double set up an emphatic win for the visitors.
Overall, it’s been a mixed spell for the Spanish side. Conceding 11 goals in 4 games highlights issues at the back that must be addressed. But going forward the likes of Moreno and Sorloth continue to impress. Finding the right balance will be key for Villarreal to recover from this difficult period.
