Panathinaikos welcome Rangers to Athens next week for the second leg of their Champions League second qualifying round tie. The Scottish side hold a 2-0 lead after a well-managed first leg at Ibrox, courtesy of second-half goals from Findlay Curtis and summer signing Djeidi Gassama. Panathinaikos, who finished the first encounter with ten players after Georgios Vagiannidis’ dismissal, now face a demanding task as they look to overturn the deficit on home soil.
The Greek club have displayed flashes of attacking promise in pre-season but were unable to capitalise on early opportunities in Glasgow. Filip Duricic and Facundo Pellistri will be key figures in this game, with Panathinaikos likely to emphasise width and direct play in front of their supporters. Defensive organisation, however, will be crucial if they are to keep themselves in the tie while searching for early breakthroughs.
Rangers, led by new manager Russell Martin for the first time, showed control and discipline in the opening leg. Goalkeeper Jack Butland was assured when called upon, and the defensive pairing of John Souttar and Nasser Djiga did their jobs well. In midfield, Mohamed Diomande delivered a commanding performance alongside Nicolas Raskin and the debuting Joe Rothwell. Martin will hope to get more from his frontline in this game and could make changes, although Curtis will almost certainly keep his place after his contribution in Glasgow.
With the tie delicately poised, this game could go either way. The Greek side will look to unsettle Rangers early on, while Russell Martin will want his side to control the tempo and keep the game at a slower pace. The Scottish side will likely have to spend periods of the game suffering and good result won't come easily, but a two-goal lead is a strong margin that should see them through.
Panathinaikos 2-1 Rangers
