UEFA Playoffs Draw Scheduled for Today in Nyon
This afternoon, on August 4th, the UEFA headquarters in Nyon will host the draw for the playoff rounds across Europe’s three major club competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
Panathinaikos’ Potential Opponents in Champions League Playoffs
Following this morning’s announcement, if Panathinaikos manages to eliminate Shakhtar Donetsk, their next adversary will be drawn from a group of four teams: Genk (Belgium), Aberdeen (Scotland), Samsunspor (Turkey), or the winner between RFS (Latvia) and Kuopio (Finland).
Conference League Pathway for Panathinaikos if Eliminated
Should Panathinaikos fall short against the Ukrainian side, they will continue their European journey in the Conference League. Their opponent will be one of the following teams:
- Larne (Northern Ireland) vs. Santa Clara (Portugal)
- Loser of Servette (Switzerland) vs. Utrecht (Netherlands)
- Loser of Fredrikstad (Norway) vs. Midtjylland (Denmark)
- Loser of AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) vs. Legia Warsaw (Poland)
- AIK Stockholm (Sweden) vs. Eto Győr (Hungary)
PAOK’s Europa League Playoff Prospects
For PAOK, if they succeed in overcoming Austria’s Wolfsberger in the Europa League qualifiers, their playoff opponent will be one of the winners from these matchups:
- Rijeka (Croatia) / Shelbourne (Ireland)
- Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia) / Breiðablik (Iceland)
- Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar) / Noah (Armenia)
- Häcken (Sweden) / Brann (Norway)
Conference League Route for PAOK if Eliminated
If PAOK is eliminated by Wolfsberger, they will enter the Conference League playoffs, facing one of the following teams:
- Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) / Ararat Armenia (Armenia)
- Cluj (Romania) / Braga (Portugal)
- Aras (Azerbaijan) / Omonia (Cyprus)
- Mainz (Germany)
Context and Significance
These playoff rounds are crucial for Greek clubs aiming to secure a spot in the lucrative group stages of UEFA competitions. With increasing financial rewards and global exposure, advancing past these hurdles can significantly impact club development and fan engagement. For instance, Panathinaikos’ recent European campaigns have shown promising progress, reflecting the club’s ambition to re-establish itself on the continental stage.
Source: APE-MPE