Panathinaikos vs Roma Europa League Showdown Tonight – Live Stream, Lineups, Kick-Off Time & Winning Prediction

H2: High-stakes Europa League showdown in Athens Roma travel to a sold-out Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on 29 January looking for the victory that would send Gian Piero Gasperini’s men straight to the Round of 16, while Panathinaikos aim to leapfrog the Giallorossi and clinch a top-eight finish of their own. H3: Kick-off time & broadcast information • Kick-off: 20:00 UTC (22:00 local). • Venue: Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens. • Live TV/streaming: UEFA.tv in select territories, plus local rights-holders in Greece (Cosmote Sport) and Italy (Sky Sport). H3: Confirmed starting XIs Panathinaikos (3-4-2-1): Lafont; Palmer-Brown, Ingason, Touba; Katris, Bakasetas, Siopis, Kiriakopoulos; Pantović, Zaroury; Ioannidis. Roma (3-4-3/3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Żiółkowski, Ghilardi; Çelik, El Aynaoui, Pisilli, Tsimikas; Cristante, Pellegrini; Soulé. Key absentees • Panathinaikos: Swiderski (suspension), Pellistri, Čirivella, Djuricic (injuries). • Roma: Dybala, Ferguson, Dovbyk, Hermoso, Angeliño (injuries); January signings Malen and Vaz are cup-tied. H3: Form guide Panathinaikos – W 2 D 2 L 1 in last five UEL games, unbeaten at home since October. Roma – W 4 L 1 over same span, including a statement 3-0 away win at Celtic Park. H3: Tactical snapshot • Benítez’s Greens: Expect a compact mid-block 3-4-2-1 with Anastasios Bakasetas dictating tempo and wide wing-backs driving overlaps. • Gasperini’s Roma: False-9 Matías Soulé drops deep, freeing Pellegrini and Cristante to attack inside channels while Pisilli screens transitions. H3: What’s at stake • Roma sit 6th in the league-phase table; three points guarantee automatic passage to the last 16 and avoid a play-off. • Panathinaikos occupy 19th but can rocket into the top eight with victory and help elsewhere. • Both clubs also chase valuable coefficient points and much-needed prize money. H3: Head-to-head & numbers to know • The clubs’ only previous meetings came in the 2010 UEL last-32, where Panathinaikos won both legs 3-2. • Panathinaikos are unbeaten in eight European home fixtures. • Roma average 2.1 goals per game in the competition this season, second only to Liverpool. H3: Betting odds & prediction Bookmakers rate Roma narrow favourites (around 2.25), with a draw at 3.30 and a home win at 3.10. Given both sides’ recent scoring trends, over 2.5 goals looks attractive. Prediction: Panathinaikos 1-2 Roma – late Pellegrini winner. H3: SEO quick answers • Who is the referee? Spanish official José Luis Munuera. • Where can I buy tickets? The home allocation sold out within 24 hours; limited away tickets remain via AS Roma’s official portal. • Will VAR be used? Yes, full VAR and goal-line technology are in place for all Europa League league-phase fixtures. H3: Fans’ travel & weather Temperatures in Athens are forecast around 12 °C with light winds, ideal for evening football. Away supporters are advised to use metro Line 3 to Ambelokipi station for the shortest walk to “Leoforos.” H3: Bottom line With knockout seeding, bragging rights and millions in prize money on the line, Panathinaikos vs Roma promises one of the most dramatic finales to the Europa League’s new-look league phase. Expect fireworks on and off the pitch as two of Europe’s most passionate fanbases paint Athens green and red-yellow tonight.