After last year’s triumph in the Europa Conference League, Olympiacos have raised their ambitions on the international stage. At home against Qarabağ, the Greek side will fight to keep their hopes alive for direct qualification to the Europa League round of 16—goal difference may be crucial, so attacking football is expected.
A hard-fought victory over Porto (1:0) highlighted Olympiacos’ squad depth, as they managed to edge out a strong opponent despite recording only two shots on target (0.45 xG). Manager José Luis Mendilibar will have midfielder Leonardo Jesus available again after suspension, while newly signed Ricardo Horta, on loan from Braga, is expected to play a key role soon. On Sunday, Olympiacos held off Panathinaikos (1:1) despite playing with 10 men for a large portion of the match, reinforcing their dominance in the Greek Super League.
Since the start of 2025, Qarabağ have struggled defensively. In the Azerbaijani league, they conceded multiple goals in surprising defeats to Shamakhi (2:3) and Turan (1:2), while their most recent Europa League match against FCSB (2:3) also ended in disappointment. Their backline has been one of the weakest in the competition, conceding 16 goals in seven matches—only Dynamo Kyiv (18) have been worse.
Olympiacos are currently on an 18-match unbeaten streak (last loss: 27 October), and with Qarabağ lacking motivation ahead of this trip to Greece, the hosts should take full advantage.
