PAOK faced Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Europa League playoff match, where they were defeated 1-2 at home. The Spanish team took the lead with goals from Iago Aspas in the 34th minute and Svendberg in the 43rd minute. However, PAOK managed to pull one back in the 77th minute with a goal from Yeremeyev, keeping their hopes alive for the return leg in Spain.

Despite their effort, PAOK's coach Razvan Lucescu had to implement a rotation in the starting line-up due to numerous absences, bringing back players like Tsiftsis, Lovren, Voliano, Taylor, Kamara, Ozdoev, and Yeremeyev into key positions. The home side controlled possession early in the match with a 63%-37% ratio but struggled to create significant chances, while Celta was effective in reaching the PAOK goal, including a notable missed opportunity in the 13th minute by Svendberg that was saved impressively by Tsiftsis.

As PAOK looks ahead to the return match in Spain, they will need to address their attacking weaknesses and leverage the momentum from Yeremeyev's goal, aiming to overturn the aggregate deficit. With everything still to play for, this matchup promises to be a crucial test for both teams as they vie for a place in the next round of the Europa League.