Panathinaikos Poised for European Challenge: Faces Potential Showdown with Zrinjski Mostar or Bravo in Conference League Qualifiers

PANATHINAIKOS

MARIA KOUBELI
22.07.2024 | 15:21

Tasos Bakasetas
EUROKINISSI SPORTS

Panathinaikos will face the winner of the pairing Zrinjski Mostar – Bravo in the third qualifying round of the Conference League if eliminated by Botev Plovdiv.

Panathinaikos begins its European campaign on July 25 from the 2nd qualifying round of the Europa League. On Monday (July 22), they learned their potential opponents for the 3rd qualifying round of the Conference League, in which they will be if eliminated by Botev Plovdiv.

Specifically, the greens will face the winner of the pairing Zrinjski Mostar – Bravo.

The first match will take place on August 8 and the return leg on the 15th of the same month.

As for the playoffs, it is still difficult to outline even approximately the teams that will participate in this, as teams that are currently in the Champions League can still be relegated. After the conclusion of the second qualifying round, there will be more data, and a possible outline of the playoffs of the Conference League could be done more easily.

AEK will be weak and thus risks falling into the hard pot, alongside Chelsea, Fiorentina, and Betis. Panathinaikos can become strong only if eliminated by Botev in the Europa League and then eliminates a team with a high coefficient in the third qualifying round of the Conference League, such as Copenhagen.

The pairings of the third qualifying round of the Conference League:

Champions Path

1. Vikingur / Egnatia – Flora / Virtus
2. Ordabasi / Differdange – Pyunik / Struga
3. Ballkani / Hamrun – Larn
4. Helsinki – Dinamo Batumi / Detsits

League Path

1. Mlada / Trasnimbet – Hapoel Be’er Sheva / Chernomorets
2. Kilmarnock / Cercle Brugge – Kuopio / Tromso
3. Zimbru / Ararat – Dnipro – 1 / Puskas Academia
4. Zurich / Shelbourne – Vitoria / Floriana
5. Paksi / AEK Larnaca – Radnicki / Mornar
6. Dudelange / Hacken – Sen Jarnan / Paide
7. Maribor / Craiova – Ajax / Vojvodina
8. Sarajevo / Spartak Trnava – Wisla / Rapid Vienna
9. St. Patrick’s / Vaduz – Maccabi Haifa / Sabah
10. Valur / St. Mirren – Go Ahead Eagles / Bran
11. CSKA Sofia / Buducnost – Zalgiris / Paphos
12. Ilves / Austria Vienna – Djurgarden / Progres Niedercorn
13. Kornivul / Rijeka – Milsami / Astana
14. Ruzomberok / Trabzonspor – Hajduk / Torshavn
15. Noa / Sliema Wanderers – AEK / Inter Escaldes
16. Aunda / Cliftonville – Breidablik / Drita
17. Iberia / Partizani – Basaksehir / Florita
18. Brondby / Lyapi – Legia / Kernenarov
19. Braga / Maccabi Petah Tikva – Cluj / Neman Grodno
20. Molde / Silkeborg – Ghent – Vikingur
21. Osijek / Levadia Tallinn – Zira / Dunajska Streda
22. St. Gallen / Tobol – Riga – Slask Wroclaw
23. Panathinaikos / Botev – Zrinjski / Bravo
24. Omonia / Torpedo – Sumgayit / Vidi
25. Copenhagen / Magpies – Banik Ostrava / Urartu
26. Olimpia Ljubljana / Polisia – Sheriff / Elfsborg

Until then, these are the clear ones regarding the playoffs so far.

PLAYOFFS (38 TEAMS)

Strong

1. Chelsea (England) 96,000
2. Fiorentina (Italy) 42,000
3. Betis (Spain) 33,000
4. Heidenheim (Germany) 17,324
5. Lens (France) 13,366

• +14 winners from the 3rd qualifying round

Weak

1. Loser of a pairing that includes Servette (Switzerland) 9,000*
2. Loser of a pairing that includes Kryvbas (Ukraine) 5,600*

• +17 winners from the 3rd qualifying round

*From the Europa League qualifiers