Progressing to the group stage undefeated despite a couple of draws, PAOK managed to stay afloat in the group stages of the Europa League.
Now at the knockout stages, things are getting a lot tougher, and now the Greek club will face Portuguese outfit SL Benfica at home on Thursday.
Amazingly, the two haven’t met since 1999, but PAOK coach Huub Stevens will have a few spanners in the works.
Two current players for PAOK all have experience at the Portuguese side.
Midfielder Kostas Katsouranis played for Benfica from 2006-09 and captained the side at times. He was even named Benfica player of the year in 2009, when
he won the Portuguese League Cup – his only trophy with the Eagles.
Miguel Vítor started his career at Benfica, coming through the youth department and making 24 league appearances for the club before heading to PAOK in 2013.
Left back Lino might not have personal experience with Benfica, but actually played in Portugal with A. Académica de Coimbra and FC Porto before moving to Greece in 2009.
Benfica will also be using their team’s knowledge of the Greek Super League, with Benfica’s Serbian defender Ljubomir Fejsa having played for championship winning Olympiakos from 2011 to 2013.
PAOK will lose the home advantage, flying to Portugal on February 27 for the next match.
The winners of this tie will take on FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk or Tottenham Hotspur FC in round 16, playing the second leg at home.
