Celta Vigo vs PAOK Prediction & Betting Tips (26 February)

Celta Vigo welcome PAOK to Balaídos for the decisive UEFA Europa League knockout round play-off second leg with confidence quietly building around Vigo. In the last two months, Claudio Giráldez’s side have shown a tougher edge, grinding out a 2-2 draw away to Espanyol and battling through a narrow 1-2 home setback against Osasuna, a clash already dissected in detail in our 2-0 preview. Add in a resilient 0-0 at Getafe and a 1-1 Europa League draw at Crvena zvezda, and you get a picture of a team that has learned to suffer without losing its attacking identity.

PAOK arrive in Galicia with their European ambitions still alive, even if the last few weeks have been demanding. The Greek side have juggled a busy domestic calendar in the Super League with high-intensity continental nights, including notable recent trips such as the fiery derby at Aris, covered in our 2-0 breakdown, and a challenging visit to Lyon in Europe, previewed in the 2-0 analysis. Those fixtures, packed into a tight schedule over the past couple of months, have kept PAOK sharp but may also leave some physical and mental scars as they head into this return leg.

The first act of this tie in Thessaloniki set the tone for a finely balanced contest, with Celta Vigo claiming a 2-1 away victory thanks to goals from Iago Aspas and Williot Swedberg, while Alexander Jeremejeff pulled one back for PAOK late on. That result, already the focus of our earlier 2-0 coverage, means the Greek side must now chase the game in Spain. Over the last two months, both teams have shown they can respond under pressure, but Celta’s ability to control tempo at home and PAOK’s need to open up could heavily shape the rhythm of this second leg.

All signs point to a tense European night in Vigo, yet the underlying trends from recent matches suggest a scenario where Celta’s structure and home advantage gradually wear down a PAOK side forced to take more risks than they would like. The Spaniards have tightened up defensively since the group phase while still creating enough chances through Aspas and the supporting cast, and PAOK’s busy calendar may finally catch up with them over ninety minutes. With that in mind, our correct-score prediction for Celta Vigo vs PAOK in this Europa League showdown is a controlled home win by 2 : 0, reflecting a match where the hosts strike in key moments and then manage the tie with matur