Panathiniakos FC hosted Scotland’s Rangers in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Qualifiers away at the Ibrox Stadium in Scotland on the 23rd of July.
This game ended 2-0 to the Rangers’ side as goals from Curtis and Gassama ensured that Russel Martin’s team went into the 2nd leg with a strong foundation to build upon.
Panathiniakos qualified for the UCL qualifiers after finishing second last year in the championship round of Super League Greece with 59 points, losing the first place and championship to Olympiacos, who finished with 75 points.
They lost in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League last season to Ajax and, as a result, advanced to the Conference League play-off round.
In the Conference League, they went until the Round of 16, only to be knocked out by the Italian team FC Fiorentina.
In terms of style of gameplay, the Greek side under Rui Vitoria has resorted to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the domestic league, emphasizing disciplined defense and quick transitions, using wing play and full-back overlaps to create chances.
However, in the Conference League, Vitoria even set up his team with a 4-3-3 and even a 4-4-2 formation (in the second half) to increase flank penetration and ball progression, notably via full-backs and wing play.
Vitória’s teams are defensively organized and aggressive in pressing, often winning the ball high up and looking to counter quickly.
Their defensive structure relies on disciplined central midfield cover and wide center backs who help shield the midfield zone.
This was evident in their 3-2 aggregate victory against Vikingur in the round of 32 after they lost out to them 2-1 in the first leg, which was played in Helsinki.
In that game, they maintained a strong defensive structure but switched the formation to a 4-3-3/4-4-2 in the 2nd half to get more offensive plays from the wing position after Vikingur turned out to be resilient and strong defensively themselves.
This tweak in the formation allowed them to score 2 goals in the second half, thanks to Mladenovic and Tete, and qualify for the Round of 16, where they eventually lost out to Fiorentina.
In terms of their buildup, it is balanced, often constructed from the back through midfield control. Full-backs like Vagiannidis or Mladenović push forward to overlap and deliver crosses or through balls.
In terms of transition, they resort to high pressing to regain possession, then pass it quickly to wide outlets or make through balls aimed at striker Fotis Ioannidis or wide forwards like Tetê.
At home, they won 11 matches, drew 3, and lost 2, collecting over 36 points last year.
Their away-from-home record is a bit dodgy, with only 6 wins and 5 draws collating just 23 points, and that probably showed in the away fixture in the 1st leg of the UCL qualifier against Rangers.
They had 3 joint top scorers for them last season, all with 11 goals. These were right-winger Tete, attacking midfielder Filip Djuricic, and center forward Ioannidis.
In terms of assists, their fullback, Mladenovic, was their top assist maker with 7 assists, alongside central midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who also had the same number.
This shows that, alongside defensive rigidity, they have players capable of scoring and assisting from all kinds of positions.
However, their defensive structure has blips and moments of lapses in between and hasn’t translated statistically.
They conceded 32 goals last campaign in the league, which meant 1 goal per game exactly. This stay against Champions League-quality teams is not hopeful, as your defensive lapses often hurt you with a goal, considering the high quality levels of the UCL teams.
And that showed in their first leg against Rangers, where they conceded 2 quick-fire goals away from home.
The Greek side started slowly but soon took control of the game, creating several clear chances.
Nemanja Maksimović came closest, heading towards the goal only to be denied by Rangers keeper Jack Butland and then hitting the post on the rebound.
Erik Palmer-Brown also forced a save, as Panathinaikos dominated large spells of the first half. Despite their control, they couldn’t find a breakthrough.
In the second half, the game turned suddenly. Rangers scored against the run of play through Findlay Curtis, whose deflected strike found the net. Moments later, a major setback hit Panathinaikos when Giorgos Vagiannidis received a second yellow card and was sent off, leaving the visitors with 10 men.
Rangers capitalized, and substitute Djeidi Gassama made it 2-0 with a powerful solo goal late in the game. Despite a strong performance for much of the match, Panathinaikos will now have to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg.
In terms of the Rangers side, they had their new manager, Russel Martin, who managed his first game for Rangers in the 1st leg round of this game.
Last season under ex-manager Phillipe Clement, they finished 2nd in the Scottish Premiership with 75 points (record: 22‑9‑7), scoring 80 goals (2.11 per game) and conceding 41 (1.08 per game).
In terms of the style of play, Clement’s team was criticized for a lack of clarity and identity.
While the squad attempted possession-based football, many observers felt the style was ineffective, slow, safe, and often impotent against defensive teams.
Clement regularly used 4–3–3 or 4–3–2–1, trusting in possession from the back. Rangers averaged around 65% possession, yet press effectiveness and attacking cohesion were inconsistent, especially in breaking down deep‑lying opponents.
As a result of the team finishing 2nd, losing the title to Celtic, Clement was sacked.
Soon after, Russel Martin was appointed head coach on a three‑year deal starting June 5, 2025.
He returned to Rangers, where he was previously on loan as a player in 2018, with a clear vision to establish a new, bold identity.
Martin promotes possession-based football paired with aggressive high pressing, a style often compared to post-Postecoglou-era teams in Scotland.
This was evident when, in Martin’s first competitive match on July 22, 2025, Rangers dominated with 76% possession, over 700 passes, and a 92% pass completion rate, compared to a season average of 435 attempts and 360 completed passes.
He seeks to dominate tempo, control territory, and disrupt opponents via intense pressing to win the ball back quickly.
In terms of formation, he favors a 4–3–3 system as his baseline but adapts to variants like 3–4–2–1, 3–5–2, and 4–1–2–1–2 depending on personnel and matchup demands—always with inverted/fullbacks and fluid midfield movement.
Martin played with a 4-3-3 formation in the first leg, so it can be safely assumed that he would go with the same one, but if goals are scored, he might resort to a more defensive structure to protect the 2-0 lead.
What to expect?
PAOK has a do-or-die situation here literally. 2-0 down is not a good scoreline, but fans can remain hopeful because at home they had a strong record last season: 13 wins, which should give them hope as they host Rangers in the second leg.
Adding to the fact that they have goal scorers across different positions and average almost 1.5 goals every game at home, this should give them more hope of at least scoring 2 goals and sending the game to extra time.
In terms of Russel Martin’s side, they don’t need to tweak much after a solid 2-0 win. If they manage to close the first half with 0 goals, Martin might resort to a more defensive shape, and that’s the ideal way to go about it to protect the lead and qualify.
Team Updates and Probable Line-Ups
Rangers:
With both Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane close to exiting the club, Danilo is expected to lead the attack. Injuries remain a concern for Thelo Aasgaard and Lyall Cameron, while Rabbi Matondo is ruled out of contention.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Butland; Aarons, Djiga, Souttar, Jefte; Diomande, Raskin; Gassama, Dowell, Bajrami; Danilo
Panathinaikos:
Greek defender Georgios Kyriopoulos, recently signed, will be absent due to injury. However, former Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella could feature for the first time in this clash.
Expected Line-Up (4-2-3-1): Lodygin; Vagiannidis, Touba, Jedvaj, Mladenovic; Chirivella, Siopis; Tete, Djuricic, Gregou; Ioannidis
Prediction
My prediction is a 2-1 win for Rangers, with an aggregate score of 4-1.
Yes, PAOK has a decent record at home, but with the new manager bounce in the shape of Russel Martin and his possession-based style of play, which will take the ball from PAOK away from major parts of the game, Rangers might just edge this one out in the 2nd leg.
Odds
Rangers to win:
4.20
Rangers will win this game with at least a one-goal lead.
Goals over 2.5:
1.80
There will be more than two goals considering PAOK’s home record and Rangers’ possession-based style of play.
Both teams to score: Yes
1.75
Both teams will be desperate to score. PAOK will look to cut the deficit, and Rangers will look to seal the deal by making it 3-0.
Anytime Goalscorer for PAOK:
2.90
Tete Matheus Martins
Their top scorer from the wing last season will also look to add his name to the score sheet.
Anytime Goalscorer for Rangers:
4.10
Danilo
Forward Danilo to score at any time for Rangers in the game.
Where Can I Watch the Game?
United Kingdom
The match will be shown live on BBC Scotland (Sky channel 115) and can be streamed for free via BBC iPlayer.
Canada
No Canadian broadcaster currently holds Champions League qualifying rights. Matches are not broadcast on DAZN or other platforms in Canada per rights listings.
Rangers TV streaming remains the best option for Canadian viewers who subscribe internationally.
United States
UEFA Champions League qualifiers are not being carried on Paramount+ or CBS Sports Network in the U.S.
Rangers TV again provides the most reliable streaming option for U.S. fans, requiring an international subscription.
Australia
No official broadcast rights have been confirmed.
UEFA Champions League qualifiers are not currently on Optus Sport or Kayo after beIN Sports left Foxtel/Kayo in mid‑2023.
Here too, Rangers TV remains the best option.
