Champions League. PAOK - Metalist. match Preview

It took eight years to Miron Markevych to bring Kharkov Metalist in the Champions League. However, for the full experience of the big football festival, Kharkov must first pass a modest but no less dangerous Greek PAOK.


Champions League. Third qualifying round. The first match
July 30, 2013. 21.00 Thessaloniki. Stadium Tumba
PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece) - Metalist (Kharkov, Ukraine)

Referee: Paul van Boekel
Assistants: Davy Goossens, Berry Simons
Fourth official: Ed Janssen (all - Netherlands)
Referee observer: Stefan Messner (Austria)

Metalist arrived in Thessaloniki without two key players - Clayton Javier and Alexander Goryainova. Up for the loss of his pleymekeyra Kharkiv tried through the signing of Brazilian Diego Souza. And it is worth noting that the midfielder quickly fit into the scheme of Myron Markevych's game, so today must go to the first team. Similarly, should play another newcomer Moledo, which will be released in conjunction with Papa Gueye in the center of defense. On the side there is no reason to change Villagra and Azevedo. Goryainova replace Vladimir Dishlenkovich hardly Myron will trust in such an important match of the young Denchuku.

In the center of the field is Edmar and Krasnopyorov, Jose Sosa can play both right and left. It all depends on who to trust coach - Blanco or Marlos. The Brazilian has an advantage on the right, the Argentine can go on both flanks. Offensively, all hopes are connected with Marko Devic, who earlier this season scored decent shape.

It should be noted that Myron Markevych did not force the preparation of his team. The first three matches of the championship, Metalist greater benefits from its class, with at any moment could add. Obviously, the final team run away towards the end of August, but now Kharkiv should have a solid advantage over the opponent, because PAOK has not played any official match.

This summer, the Greek club changed coach - instead Georgis Georgiadis was appointed to the famous Dutch expert Huub Stevens. That will offer a new steering, hard to predict, especially as part of a number of new players have filled up. So central defense should leave the Portuguese Miguel Vitor, near which can play Katsikas, on the flanks at PAOK have Yannis Skondras and Lino. Center field is likely to be farmed out to two very experienced Greeks - Tsiolis and Katsouranis, though they should not rule out the occurrence of Costin Lazar or familiar Ukrainian fans Zvonimir Vukic. On the flanks can play an Irishman Lawrence, Liberian Sekou Oliseh, CSKA gone through the school, or former residents of Lviv Lucas Perez.

Finally, in the attack Stevens has three classy forwards - Salpingidis, Athanasiadis and Necid. Dimitrios, who left the Ukrainian team behind the 2010 World Cup, is the captain of the team and can play both on the edge, and depth of field. But Athanasiadis and Necid about one type of forwards, more playing opponent's penalty area. Last season, Stefanos was the best scorer of the team, scoring 21 goals in 33 matches, but, as you know, before the new coach of all things being equal, so the chances of a Czech play from the first minute is very good.