Panathinaikos v Chelsea: Two 9/2 goal-scorers fancied as the Blues triumph in Athens | OneFootball

UEFA Europa Conference League

Maresca points way to final in May

Ste Tudor is backing the visitors to rack up some goals in Greece, even if there may be a late twist in the tale.

Maresca's Blues backed to bang in the goals

Four days after faring well amidst the fiery environs of Anfield, Chelsea must now travel to the Olympic Stadium in Athens, and the Blues can consider themselves unlucky to be facing the toughest possible opponent from Pot 5.

Panathinaikos have beaten Marseille and Villarreal on home soil in European competition in recent seasons and last August got the better of Lens.

This though is not a side at the peak of their powers, struggling for consistency under new boss Diego Alonso and encountering some surprising results. There was an opening day loss to Astreras Tripolis. A draw at Athens Kallithea. A last-gasp winner was required against rock-bottom Levadiakos.

Chelsea, for their part, are in decent shape and injury free and even minus Fofana, Lavia and Palmer - all omitted from their Conference League squad - they possess sufficient craft and firepower to prevail in Greece quite comfortably.

In what is sure to be an emotional evening - this being the first home game since the tragic passing of George Baldock - and in their first ever competitive meeting, the visitors should be backed to extend on their opening stroll over Gent that showcased their strength in depth.

Goals predicted in Greece

Naturally, that's not to suggest that the Greens should be dismissed out of hand, not with Greek national captain Anastasios Bakasetas patrolling centrally and with two wingers in Filip Djuricic and Tete who each have goals in them.

Furthermore, Panathinaikos have a propensity to score late, with a third of their haul across all comps this season converted beyond the 80th minute.A consolation awaits then? Very possibly, with Chelsea conversely doing their damage early.41.3% of the Blues' goals this term have come inside the opening half an hour of contests.

Nkunku to take centre stage

A peripheral figure in the Premier League, Christopher Nkunku has really come to the fore in all other competitions, scoring in each of Chelsea's three Conference League outings and bagging a League Cup hat-trick versus Barrow.

All told, his campaign so far amounts to a goal every 63 minutes.

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Against Gent, the 26-year-old led the line supremely well, his movement off the ball crucial in affording Mudryk, Felix and Neto space to dart into while his work-rate is commendable. Only two players in the top-flight have won more possession in the final third per 90.

The versatile attacker has been the first goal-scorer in four of the five games in which he has scored.

Tete a danger

The hosts pose a threat down the flanks, not least via Tete whose move from Galatasaray in the summer has proven a successful one.Deployed on the right but in possession of a wand of a left foot, the winger has cut inside to good effect this term, contributing four goal involvements in his last six appearances in the Super League. Tete is direct, pacy, and will cause his opposite number all manner of problems, whether that be Marc Cucurella or Renato Veiga.

15/8. Thursday evening though will be anything but one-way traffic.

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