Panathinaikos vs AS Roma Prediction 29.01.2026 | UEFA Europa League

Panathinaikos, who secured their place in the knockout stages with a crucial 1-1 away draw against Ferencvaros last Thursday, enter the final matchday with a pressing goal: to improve their group ranking and secure a more favorable draw.

Despite a rocky start to their European campaign, losing their first two fixtures, the Greens have since demonstrated remarkable resilience and discipline, remaining unbeaten in their subsequent four Europa League challenges (W2 D2).

Eager to finish the group stage on a high, Panathinaikos’ recent form has offered little optimism ahead of Thursday’s crucial clash. The team has failed to beat anyone in their last three matches, including a heavy 4-0 defeat to AEK and a frustrating goalless draw against Atromitos, highlighting their inconsistencies at both ends of the pitch.

The Athenians will also face significant absences, with former AC Milan right-back Davide Calabria sidelined, alongside experienced playmaker Filip Djuricic and central striker Dyriel Dessers, all out due to injury.

AS Roma endured a similarly bleak start to their European campaign as their upcoming Thursday opponents, suffering defeats in both of their opening fixtures. However, their response has been nothing short of emphatic, stringing together four consecutive victories, including a composed and convincing 2-0 win over Stuttgart in their most recent outing.

This impressive resurgence has propelled the Giallorossi up to sixth place in the league-phase standings, yet their task is not fully complete. Roma will still need a positive result on their final trip to Athens to secure a top-eight finish and book automatic qualification for the round of 16.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side appear well positioned to achieve that objective, having produced outstanding performances away from the Italian capital. They have emerged victorious from all three of their continental away assignments — against Nice and Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic — posting an eye-catching 7-1 aggregate scoreline in the process.

Nevertheless, Gasperini faces a selection headache ahead of the trip, with several key figures sidelined through injury. Mario Hermoso, Angelino, Manu Kone, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk are all unavailable, forcing Roma to rely on depth and tactical discipline to finish the job.