We believe Malmö are unlikely to qualify for European competitions next season, so they need to focus on the current tournament. However, the Swedish side are not even in the knockout play-off race yet.
Malmö
They must first overcome Panathinaikos. It is possible, but they need to play better than in previous matches. Malmö dropped almost all points at home despite facing relatively even opponents, albeit seeded higher. Both Ludogorets Razgrad and Dinamo Zagreb scored against the hosts, but the defence was just as unreliable — 1:2 and 1:1 respectively. The match against Panathinaikos will already be their third at home, and ahead lie three away fixtures in the next four rounds. If not now, when?
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos are struggling on all fronts. In the UEFA Europa League they started briskly, unexpectedly beating BSC Young Boys (4:1) in Switzerland, but in the next two they scored fewer and lost — to Go Ahead Eagles (1:2) and Feyenoord (1:3). Is it a Dutch issue? No, in the last round of the Super League Greece they lost away to Volos NPS (0:1). They are only eighth at the moment.
Malmö vs Panathinaikos Prediction
Despite all their issues Panathinaikos are not even favourites against Malmö. This is effectively a six-point match with three possible outcomes. The more evident angle is the both teams to score bet. Their UEFA Europa League results point to this.
