Real Sociedad vs PAOK Prediction 30.01.2025 | Europa League

• Competition: UEFA Europa League - Matchday 8
• Date: Thursday, 30th, January 2025
• Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21:00 CEST
• Venue: Reale Arena (San Sebastian)

Real Sociedad will host PAOK in San Sebastian this Thursday, with both teams seeking to guarantee their progression into the UEFA Europa League playoffs.

The confidence of the Basque club ahead of Thursday's European clash is certainly low, especially after they further jeopardized their hopes of securing a Champions League spot via LaLiga, suffering a late 0-3 humiliation at the hands of Getafe, which left their home supporters in complete shock. This was the third straight loss across all competitions for manager Imanol Alguacil and his team, a tough streak that also features the 1-3 defeat to Lazio last Thursday, ruining their hopes of a top-eight finish in the UEL, yet the Basque side only requires a single point in their final European match to confirm a place in the playoffs.

On the opposite end of the pitch stands the PAOK side, making a tricky trip to San Sebastián with positive energy gained from their 1-0 victory over Levadiakos last weekend, a win that kept their pursuit of the Greek top-flight championship firmly on track. Their Europa League campaign started off poorly, picking up just one point from four matches, before the White-Black Eagles turned their fortunes around with three straight triumphs, the latest being a 2-0 win over Sparta Prague last Thursday, putting them just one step away from clinching a playoff spot.

Real Sociedad vs PAOK Betting Tips: UNDER 2.5

We believe a draw could be a completely realistic outcome in this match between two teams that have lost all hopes of a top-eight finish, but both desperately need a point to keep their Europa League campaign alive. As a result, both teams are likely to adopt a cautious approach with a strong emphasis on defense, which could ultimately lead to a goal-shy contest. Among other things, the Basque club have shown a lack of sharpness in front of goal in recent matches, as they have failed to hit the target in half of their last eight games across all competitions. At the same time, it can’t be said that PAOK have been dazzling in the final third, as their 2-0 thrashing of Sparta Prague last Thursday was the only match in the last six where they scored more than one goal. All things considered, we don’t expect either side to take any significant risks in attack, so it wouldn’t surprise us if this contest between two teams with similar ambitions ends in a goal-shy draw.