PAOK hope to cope with CSKA firepower
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Article summary
PAOK FC may not be prolific at home but they still boast an impressive record as round of 32 rivals PFC CSKA Moskva visit averaging three goals a game in Europe this season.
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PAOK FC may not be prolific at home but they still boast an impressive record as PFC CSKA Moskva head to Greece in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 averaging three goals per game in Europe this season.
Previous meetings
• This will be the clubs' first meeting in Europe and both sides' maiden experience of tackling a team from their opponents' home country.
• In 21 previous matches between Russian and Greek sides in UEFA club competition, there have been 11 wins for Russian teams, six draws and four Greek successes. The Greek outfits' home record reads W3 D3 L4.
Match background
• PAOK are unbeaten in their last six European home outings and have scored once in each of their last four UEFA Europa League ties at Toumbas Stadium, recording three 1-0 victories and a 1-1 draw.
• CSKA's seven-game winning streak in Europe this season ended with a 1-1 stalemate at AC Sparta Praha in their last UEFA Europa League group stage game. In their four continental away fixtures during the current campaign, they have scored nine times and conceded just twice. They are averaging exactly three goals per game in Europe this term.
Team facts
• Porto's Falcao is the top scorer in this season's UEFA Europa League with seven strikes; CSKA's Tomáš Necid is one of five players trailing him by two goals, along with Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal CF), Wilfried Bony (AC Sparta Praha), Artem Milevskiy (FC Dynamo Kyiv) and Edinson Cavani (SSC Napoli).
• CSKA and FC Zenit St Petersburg were the highest scoring teams in the group stage, both registering 18 times in six games. CSKA scored 12 of their tally after the break.
• PAOK, by contrast, were the lowest scoring club to make it through the UEFA Europa League group stage, finding the net on just five occasions.
• PAOK midfielder Zuela has previous experience of Russian football, having played for FC Kuban Krasnodar and FC Alania Vladikavkaz before moving to Salonika in the summer.
• PAOK's on-loan Nabir El Zhar and CSKA's Mark González were team-mates at Liverpool FC in 2006/07.
• The overall winners will take on the victors in the tie between Sevilla FC and FC Porto in the round of 16 on 10 and 17 March, contesting the first leg at home.
