Panathinaikos Athens — Samsunspor : Match Preview and Prediction for August 21,2025

Panathinaikos’ Pre-Season Form

With the Greek championship yet to commence, Panathinaikos has been relying on friendly matches and European qualifiers to build their form and cohesion.

Recent Friendly Results

The “Greens” have participated in five pre-season friendlies, securing only two victories against less formidable opponents. Their results include a 3-0 win over Metalist 1925, a 0-1 defeat to Nordsjælland, a 0-0 draw with Schalke, a 1-2 loss to Braga, and a 3-1 victory against Westerlo.

European Campaign Overview

Their initial foray into European competitions this season proved challenging, as they faced an early exit from the Champions League qualifiers, succumbing to Rangers with a 0-2 aggregate defeat followed by a 1-1 draw. Subsequently, many predicted a similar fate for the Greeks against Shakhtar in the Europa League. However, despite a goalless draw at home, Rui Vitoria’s squad demonstrated resilience in Slovakia, holding their ground through regular and extra time, ultimately overcoming “the Miners” in a penalty shootout.

Squad Changes and Transfers

The club’s management has not made significant reinforcements during the current transfer window. Instead, they have experienced two key departures: Nemanja Maksimovic moved to Shabab Al-Ahli, and Georgios Vagiannidis joined Sporting.

Injury Concerns

The Portuguese head coach, Rui Vitoria, will be without the services of the injured Djuricic and Kyriopoulos for this fixture.

Samsunspor’s European Debut

Samsunspor is poised to make their debut in European competitions, a remarkable achievement considering they were competing in the Turkish Third League just five years ago.

Journey to European Football

In the 2023/24 season, the Turkish side narrowly avoided relegation, finishing just two points above the drop zone. This challenging experience, however, seemingly fortified Thomas Reis’s players, as they impressively secured a third-place finish in the subsequent season, earning their spot in the second-tier European club competition. Their relatively high UEFA club coefficient has granted them a direct entry into the final play-off round.

Strong Start to Super Lig Season

Despite a somewhat inconsistent pre-season, Samsunspor has made an excellent start to their Super Lig campaign, securing maximum points from their opening two fixtures. They first defeated Gençlerbirliği 2-1 at home, followed by a 1-0 away victory against newly promoted Kocaelispor.

Transfer Activity

The transfer ban on the team was lifted only this year, allowing them to make targeted reinforcements ahead of their Europa League debut. They have successfully signed Afonso Sousa from Lech Poznań and Jo Mendes from Braga.

Potential Absentees

Thomas Reis also faces two potential absences, as the participation of Kılınç and Musaba remains uncertain.