In a showdown that traces back to the 1971 European Cup final, Panathinaikos and Ajax are set to open their Europa League third-round qualifier matchup on Thursday.
Both teams advanced through the second round, with the Greek giants hosting the first leg in Athens. The winner will secure a playoff place against either Bodo/Glimt or Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Former Inter Miami and Sevilla manager Diego Alonso took over as head coach following Fatih Terim’s departure in May. Alonso’s task is to challenge for the title and secure group-stage football for his new club.
Panathinaikos narrowly missed out on the Champions League last year, falling to Braga in the playoffs. They managed to reach the Europa League group phase, where they collected only four points from six matches against Rennes, Villarreal, and Maccabi Haifa.
Despite being finalists in the 1971 European Cup, losing to Ajax at Wembley, Panathinaikos has a rich history in UEFA competitions. However, their upcoming opponents boast an even more impressive record.
Ajax claimed their first European title in 1971, starting a three-year period of dominance. They were crowned champions again in the 1994-95 Champions League and reached the semi-finals in 2019 under Erik ten Hag.
After securing a 1-0 win in the first leg at home, Ajax emerged 3-1 victors in Serbia, with Josip Sutalo, Jorrel Hato, and Bertrand Traore finding the net in the second half.
Ajax, who are set to kick off their new league campaign against Heerenveen, are riding a six-game winning streak, including victories over Rangers and Olympiacos.
With key players like Hato and Brian Brobbey remaining at the club, the new era under head coach Francesco Farioli looks promising. However, the stakes will be high when they face Panathinaikos on Thursday.