Guingamp v PAOK background
Monday, September 22, 2014
Article summary
Group-stage debutants EA Guingamp face seasoned opponents in the form of PAOK FC as they play their first European home game in over five years in UEFA Europa League Group K.
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Article body
EA Guingamp will look to cast aside any lingering memories of their last UEFA Europa League home fixture as they take on PAOK FC in Group K.
Form guide
• PAOK are on a two-game losing streak in France, having earned a 3-3 draw at Olympique Lyonnais on their first visit back in October 1973.
• This is group-stage debutants Guingamp's first European home match since a 5-1 defeat by Hamburger SV in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League play-offs – their worst ever European result, home or away.
• PAOK have scored ten goals in their last two UEFA fixtures, both at home, but have lost their last two European away games without scoring.
Trivia and links
• Three PAOK players have played in France: goalkeeper Charles Itandje (Red Star FC, RC Lens) and Greek internationals Giorgos Tzavellas and Alexandros Tziolis (both AS Monaco FC).
• Guingamp's Sambou Yatabaré is on loan from PAOK's domestic rivals Olympiacos FC.
• PAOK beat FC Dinamo Minsk 6-1 on matchday one, Stefanos Athanasiadis hitting an 18-minute hat-trick. They were only the second side to score six goals in a UEFA Europa League game (group stage to final), FC Steaua Bucureşti having notched their sixth against Aalborg BK a matter of minutes before PAOK's sixth against Dinamo.
• PAOK's Dimitris Salpingidis made his 70th UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League appearance (including qualifying) against Dinamo to move above Walter Zenga and into third place in the competitions' all time standings. The only players who have played more UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League games are Frank Rost (90) and Giuseppe Bergomi (96).
The coaches
• A losing UEFA Cup finalist as an Olympique de Marseille midfielder in 1999, Jocelyn Gourvennec played for a number of clubs all over France but returned to his native Brittany to take charge of Guingamp in 2010, leading them to their second French Cup triumph in 2013/14.
• Angelos Anastasiadis started out as a versatile midfielder at PAOK and began his third spell as the club's coach in May 2014. Capped 12 times by Greece, he also played for and coached Panathinaikos FC, and was in charge of Cyprus's national team from 2004 to 2011.
