Anderlecht finish it in Belgium
Your team is out of the Europa League. PAOK lost the second leg 3–2 to Anderlecht in Brussels, and after a 1–0 home defeat in the first leg the tie was already uphill (1)(2). Greg Taylor and the rest never overturned the deficit. Anderlecht, coached by the ex-Porto man Vítor Bruno, advance to the playoff round instead of your team (9).
Taylor's PAOK future looks shaky
Greg Taylor could leave before the window shuts. Rangers, Malaga and Burnley are all credited with interest in the left-back, who is down at fourth choice in that position (1). With Toure Romens injured, PAOK are reportedly determined to bring in a left-back, which tells you how much the club sees Taylor in the plans (1).
Brann stand between PAOK and the Conference League
The European run is not over. PAOK drop into the Conference League playoffs and face Norwegian side Brann (1)(3)(5). That tie is do or die: win and the campaign continues, lose and Europe is finished for the season (5).
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Defensive errors ripped apart by Greek media
The Greek press did not hold back. "Een nachtmerrie voor PAOK," Belgian outlet Voetbalprimeur wrote, meaning a nightmare for PAOK, and the assessment from home was just as harsh: one error after another (7). The criticism centred on defensive mistakes throughout the 3–2 defeat.
Red cards and a scoreline that needs explaining
There is a discrepancy worth noting: highlights circulating online list the match as Anderlecht 3–1 PAOK, with Zivkovic and Jeremejeff both sent off (4). The official result stands at 3–2, but those red cards, if accurate, go some way to explaining how the night unravelled. Two men down in Brussels is no way to chase a tie.
Greece slide further in the coefficient race
The defeat hurt beyond PAOK. Combined with Czech and Polish results, Greece dropped further from 10th place in the UEFA ranking, and that matters for how many European spots Greek clubs get down the line (6).
