PAOK ready for Champions League after Dutch training camp
 

After training in the Netherlands, PAOK have returned to Greece where they will focus on their crucial clash against FC Basel in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.

Watch PAOK begin their UEFA Champions League journey against Basel on Tuesday, July 24th LIVE from AGONAsport. Details here! 

In the final friendly fixture in Holland against Graafschap, a game which PAOK managed to win 2:1, boss Razvan Lucescu was finally able to include all first-team players in the line-up after 2018 FIFA World Cup participants finished their holidays. Overall, the Dikefalos tou Vorra competed in six friendlies, earning two victories while picking up two draws and a couple of defeats.

During his concluding press-conference in the Netherlands, Lucescu refused to blame the board for failing to make further signings, despite the Romanian demanding a left-back and a back-up striker for Aleksandar Prijovic ahead of the upcoming Champions League duel with Basel. Instead, he was forced to play inexperienced 19-year-old Konstantinos Balogiannis out of position on the left side of defence and Giannis Mystakidis in attack. 
 

Léo Jabá, who joined from Russian outfit Akhmat Grozny in June, impressed with solid performances in the friendly games, hitting the target with a wonderful effort in a 1:1 draw with Gent. Blessed with electric speed, Jaba will offer Lucescu an alternative option, especially when opposing defences begin to tire. The Brazilian arrived in Thessaloniki with plenty of potential and is expected to hit the ground running at the Toumba Stadium.
 

Lucescu also revealed that he held a conversation with Egyptian international Amr Warda concerning the 24-year old’s role for the upcoming season. Warda’s preference is to play as a winger on either side, but according to reports, head coach Lucescu will play the attacking midfielder in the number 10 role along with Dimitris Pelkas. Last year, Warda captured the headlines on loan at Atromitos Athens, scoring five goals and eight assists in 23 Super League appearances.
 

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis has been working hard to improve his kicking skills and Pelkas spent lots of time at the gym in order to bulk up physically. PAOK take on Basel in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round next Tuesday.

by Athan Stylos

Image Source: sdna.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook , follow us on   Instagram, and Twitter  for all the latest news in Greek Sports!