PAOK v Krasnodar background
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Article summary
PAOK forward Dimitar Berbatov needs one goal to match the all-time Bulgarian record in UEFA club competition – can he do it against Russian visitors Krasnodar?
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PAOK FC will look to keep a seven-game unbeaten European run going as they welcome FC Krasnodar in UEFA Europa League Group C.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time, and it will be Krasnodar's first encounter with Greek opponents.
• PAOK's four games against Russian sides have ended W0 D3 L1 (W0 D1 L1 in Salonika – W0 D2 L0 in Russia).
Form guide
• PAOK are seven games unbeaten run in Europe: W3 D4, including draws in their last three outings.
• Krasnodar have not won away this season (D2 L1). They ended last term's group stage, their maiden campaign, with a 1-0 win at Everton FC.
• PAOK have featured in five previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stages; they have made it to the knockout phase three times.
• Krasnodar have now reached the UEFA Europa League group stage in both of their European campaigns. They did not make it to the round of 32 last season.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Krasnodar to Salonika is 1,400km.
• PAOK's Dimitar Berbatov has scored 34 goals in UEFA club competition; he needs one more to match Hristo Stoichkov's Bulgarian record of 35.
• Krasnodar's Ragnar Sigurdsson can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance in this game.
The coaches
• PAOK have been led by former Croatia defender Igor Tudor since June. Now 37, he won two league titles with Juventus and began his coaching career with HNK Hajduk Split – the club where he started and ended his playing days – winning the Croatian Cup in 2013.
• Oleg Kononov has coached Krasnodar since 2013 and led the club to an impressive third-place finish in Russia last season. This is his third group stage campaign – he made it this far with FC Karpaty Lviv in 2010/11 and with Krasnodar last year.
