Panathinaikos vs AEK Athens Prediction: Big derby match in Athens

Get ready for a fiery clash in the final match of Round 5 of the Greek Super League on Monday at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, where Panathinaikos, determined to preserve their outstanding start to the new season in the league, will take on AEK in the Athens derby. Both teams played in Europa League last week and were very successful, so now they will do their best not to lost in this match as their pride and respect are on stake besides points.

Form: WWWLW

Panathinaikos suffered a disastrous finish last season in the playoffs, picking up just three points out of a possible 12 in the last four rounds. This not only cost them the top spot in the rankings but destroyed their dreams of winning the national title, which they had been trying to achieve since the 2009-10 season. However, this setback has not dampened their determination, as things stand, they are the only team in the Greek Super League with a 100% performance (3 wins from 3 games). Likewise, we believe they intend to confirm their unwavering pursuit of the title by winning the upcoming Athens derby. 

Form: WDWLD

Today, the current Greek champions AEK, who had a real fairy tale last season, will be visiting the green part of Athens. After a five-year hiatus, AEK once again reached the pinnacle of Greek football, winning the Super League title with a comfortable five-point lead over their bitter city rivals, Panathinaikos. They celebrated additionally by winning the national cup with a 2-0 victory over PAOK in the final. However, their journey to defend their domestic title started with a few difficulties. Although they did not taste the bitterness of defeat, AEK registered only one victory in the first three games, along with two draws, which currently places them in eighth place with fewer games played.

When we look at the ratio of the last 5 matches between these two teams, the ratio is completely equal. Both teams have 1 win each, while the remaining 3 games ended in a draw. The last meeting between them, played at the end of April this year, ended in a goalless draw. Although the atmosphere in the stands will be fiery thanks to the loyal fans, it is difficult to expect the same fervor on the pitch between Panathinaikos and AEK, whose meetings often ended with a low number of goals. This can be confirmed by both matches of the playoffs last season, where the nets remained untouched for the full 180 minutes. However, this is just the beginning of the season and I think that both teams will score at least one goal in this match.