The second leg of the 2025/26 Champions League second qualifying round between Panathinaikos (Greece) and Rangers (Scotland) will take place on July 30 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. The first match ended with a 2-0 victory for Rangers. Panathinaikos vs. Rangers: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Panathinaikos
The Greeks suffered a 0-2 defeat in the first match, conceding one of the goals after a player was sent off. This loss marked the team's fourth consecutive defeat in the Champions League. Additionally, Panathinaikos's 13-match scoring streak in European competitions was snapped. To advance to the next round, the club needs to beat Rangers by at least three goals. The last time the Greeks achieved such a margin in the Champions League was in 2012, interestingly against another Scottish team.
- Panathinaikos scored in 5 of their last 6 Champions League matches.
- The team has not won in 6 of their last 7 away games in this tournament (2 draws, 4 losses).
- The Greeks have conceded at least one goal in 5 of their last 6 away Champions League matches.
Predicted lineup for Panathinaikos (4-3-3)
Bartlomiej Dragowski – Georgios Vagiannidis, Erik Palmer-Brown, Ahmed Touba, Georgios Kyriakopoulos – Nemanja Maksimovic, Facundo Pellistri, Anastasios Bakasetas – Fotis Ioannidis, Pedro Chirivella, Filip Djuricic.
Defender Georgios Vagiannidis will miss the match due to suspension.
Rangers
The victory in the previous match was the first for the Scots in their last six Champions League outings (3 draws, 2 losses). Before the match against Panathinaikos, the team had conceded in 12 consecutive games in this tournament. To secure a second consecutive appearance in the third qualifying round, Rangers can afford to lose by a minimal margin in the return leg. If the club loses by exactly two goals, extra time will be required. Notably, 6 of the last 8 defeats for the Scots in the Champions League have been heavy losses.
- Rangers have not won in 11 of their last 13 Champions League matches (3 draws, 8 losses).
- The team has scored exactly 1 or 2 goals in 7 of their last 8 Champions League games.
- At least one goal has been scored in both halves in the last 6 away matches for the Scots in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Rangers (4-4-2)
Jack Butland – John Souttar, Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, James Tavernier – Nicolas Raskin, Joe Rothwell, Kieran Dowell, Mohamed Diomande – Findlay Curtis, Danilo.
Referee
Simone Sozza (Italy)
Matches – 16 (International matches, 2024/25 – 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 72;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.5;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 21;
Penalties – 50%.
Match Prediction: Panathinaikos vs. Rangers
The Scots achieved a positive result at home as expected. Now, Russell Martin's side needs to maintain their advantage, but this will be a tough task for Rangers. The team has struggled in away matches in the Champions League, regardless of the opponent's level. They have only one win in their last 19 away games in the Champions League (7 draws, 11 losses). Additionally, Rangers have managed to keep a clean sheet in only two of these matches.
The Greeks, with strong support from their fans, will push forward. At home in the Champions League, Panathinaikos has not lost in 5 of their last 7 matches (2 wins, 3 draws). However, looking at the team's recent international results, it's evident that the Greeks are nearly unbeatable at home. In the last Conference League campaign, the club won 5 of 6 home matches, losing only to the eventual tournament winner. Moreover, Panathinaikos displayed good scoring ability, netting 13 goals in 6 home games.
Considering these facts, my prediction: Panathinaikos will not lose and Total over 1.5 goals
