PAOK Thessaloniki will meet Swiss powerhouse FC Basel 1983 in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round over two legs in late
July and early August.
At stake is a place in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round and a chance to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Europe’s premier club competition.
But standing in its way will be a formidable FC Basel line up which last season made it all the way into the round of 16 of the Champions league, after finishing second in a tough group containing Manchester United, CSKA Moscow and Benfica, with wins against each of those opponents in the group
stage. In the round of 16, they were knocked out by Manchester City but not before picking up a 2-1 win against the EPL champions in England, no mean feat.
In contrast to its Champions League campaign last season, FC Basel had a disappointing league season by its own standards, finishing runners
up to Young Boys after having won the previous eight Swiss Super League titles.
PAOK will be hoping to put last season’s tumultuous and chaotic season behind it when it takes on the challenge of Champions League qualification.
Whilst PAOK will have its work cut out getting past Swiss opposition into the next round of qualifiers, other Greek Super League clubs Atromitos and Asteras Tripoli have been drawn to face stiff opposition in the Europa League second qualifying round. Atromitos will meet Belarusian club
Dinamo Brest over two legs. Brest’s main claim to fame is that one of its current owners is none other than football legend Diego Maradona.
Asteras Triploi is likely to face Scottish club Hibernian although Hibs will first have to overcome Faroe Islands club Runavik, in a match for which Hibs is an overwhelming favourite. There’s a strong possibility that Tripoli defenders will have to face Socceroo Jamie MacLaren who currently
plays for the Scottish Premier League club.