Anderlecht welcome PAOK for the return leg of their Europa League third qualifying-round tie on 13 August 2026. The Belgian side hold a narrow advantage after winning the opening meeting 1-0 on 6 August, but the contest remains finely balanced. Anderlecht enter the fixture unbeaten across their last five matches, while PAOK must overturn the first-leg deficit to keep their hopes of progressing alive. Both teams have averaged at least 1.7 goals per match in this season’s Europa League, and their wider records suggest that the second half could be particularly important. Anderlecht have seen a goal after the interval in 18 of their last 20 matches, while the same has occurred in 19 of PAOK’s previous 21 away fixtures. With one side protecting a lead and the other needing a victory, this Anderlecht vs PAOK preview points toward a competitive return leg.

Anderlecht Recent Form and Key Statistics

Anderlecht approach the second leg in encouraging form, having recorded four wins and one draw across their last five matches. During that sequence, they averaged 2.0 goals scored and 1.0 conceded per game. Their latest result was a 2-1 victory over La Louvière on 9 August, extending their winning run to three matches after they began the season with a 1-1 draw against Hammarby.
The Belgian team subsequently defeated Hammarby 3-1 in the return fixture before securing their 1-0 away victory against PAOK. That success in Greece was Anderlecht’s first clean sheet of the season. However, the 2-1 win over La Louvière showed that preventing chances remains an area of concern, with the hosts having conceded at least once in 19 of their last 20 matches overall.
In this season’s Europa League, Anderlecht have collected two wins and one draw without suffering a defeat. Their tournament averages stand at 1.7 goals scored and 0.7 conceded per match. They are also listed first in the supplied Europa League ranking, with PAOK second. Those figures support the confidence created by their first-leg advantage, although a one-goal margin leaves little space for complacency.
The hosts’ recent matches have regularly produced notable scoring patterns. At least one first-half goal has been recorded in each of Anderlecht’s last 11 Europa League fixtures, while their previous nine home matches have all finished with more than 2.5 total goals. In addition, 18 of their last 20 games have featured at least one second-half goal. Anderlecht therefore carry both a positive results record and a consistent history of matches containing scoring action across the two halves.

PAOK Recent Form and Key Statistics

PAOK travel for the return leg under greater pressure after losing 1-0 at home to Anderlecht. That result was their first setback of the season and the first time in eight competitive matches that they had failed to score. They now need to win the second leg to have an opportunity to progress, making their response to the early stages of the contest especially significant.
The visitors have won three and lost two of their last five matches, scoring an average of 2.0 goals per game while conceding 1.6. Their Europa League campaign has produced two victories and one defeat, with averages of 1.7 goals scored and 1.0 conceded. Before facing Anderlecht, PAOK eliminated Dynamo Kyiv by a 5-2 aggregate score. Their first away match of the season ended in a 3-2 victory against the Ukrainian side.
PAOK’s competitive record before the first leg contained six matches in which both teams scored across an eight-game period. Their defensive numbers have been less convincing, as they registered only two clean sheets during that run. On the road, PAOK have scored in four of their last six matches but recorded only one victory and one clean sheet across those fixtures. They have nevertheless averaged two goals over their previous three away games, underlining the attacking potential they will hope to rediscover after being held scoreless by Anderlecht.
The timing statistics also deserve attention. At least one second-half goal has been scored in 19 of PAOK’s last 21 away matches. Only four of their previous 19 matches finished without a goal, while just two of their last 10 away fixtures ended goalless. These trends indicate that PAOK have often been involved in matches where the score changes, particularly after half-time. Their challenge will be to combine that attacking output with greater defensive control against an Anderlecht team that has scored in each of its four matches this season.

Anderlecht vs PAOK Match Analysis

The first-leg score gives Anderlecht a valuable platform, but it does not settle the tie. The hosts have avoided defeat in their last five matches and have won four of them, while their Europa League record remains unbeaten after three games. Their 1-0 success against PAOK also demonstrated that they can manage a close European contest, even though their broader defensive sequence includes a goal conceded in 19 of the last 20 matches.
PAOK, meanwhile, have no option but to pursue a turnaround. Their failure to score in the first meeting was unusual compared with the preceding competitive run, and their away scoring figures offer some encouragement. However, one clean sheet across their last six away matches highlights the risk of leaving space for an Anderlecht side averaging two goals over its previous five games.
The available numbers create an intriguing contrast. Anderlecht have produced more than 2.5 total goals in nine consecutive home matches, yet the first leg contained only one goal. PAOK’s recent away fixtures have rarely remained scoreless, and both teams have strong second-half scoring trends. The return leg may therefore develop differently from the controlled opening encounter, particularly if PAOK are forced to increase the pressure as the match progresses.
Game management will be central to the outcome. Anderlecht can rely on their one-goal lead, but their recent concession record suggests that simply attempting to protect the advantage may bring danger. PAOK possess enough recent attacking evidence to threaten, although they must improve on a first-leg performance that ended without a goal. With the aggregate margin still narrow, the balance between Anderlecht’s unbeaten form and PAOK’s need for an away response should define this Europa League qualifying match.