The ghost in Ghent awaits the trials of Michaelides

PAOK started this year’s playoffs victoriously, but the next day will have to do very little with the championship.

Everyone in Toumba is focused on the second game against Gent (17/3) for the Conference League Round of 16, which Chuba Akpom has already described as the most important of his career to date.

PAOK will start preparations for Thursday’s big game knowing they will try to qualify without key players Jasmin Kurtic and Andrija Zivkovic penalized for cards. Razvan Lucescu showed in the game against PAS Giannina (1-0) that the Slovenian’s gap will probably be filled by Stefan Swab, who played one half against Epirus.

It is less clear how Zivkovic’s gap will be filled. Biseswar started and played about 75 minutes in the league game, but Lucescu stated there was no reason not to start in Belgium as well.

“I don’t see any reason to be left out for the Gent game, maybe Sunday’s game (ss. In the away derby with AEK)” said the Romanian coach. Mitritsa also played one half in the game against PAS and can also provide solutions while Murg, who was replaced by the Romanian, didn’t seem to be in good shape.

There’s always the option of Omar El Kaddouri relaxed after serving a match’s penalty for cards in the match with PAS.

Waiting for the news about Michailidis

PAOK eagerly awaits the results of the exams that Giannis Michailidis will take. The assessments are not good for the young centre-back, who was injured in the 17th game at the Epirotes and left Toumba on crutches.

The initial estimate was a partial lateral fracture, but there are concerns of further damage. As is easy to understand, the people of Dikefalos are waiting to know the definitive diagnosis for Michailidis.

However, it seems a given that from now on Lucescu will have to rely more on Ingason, Crespo and Mihai, who are the three stoppers left to him once Fernando Varela is no longer counting.