Greek side Panathinaikos face a tough opening day test in their 2025/26 UEFA Europa League campaign, when they head to Switzerland to face Young Boys.
Ayomide Oguntimehin provides the lowdown for the September 25th matchup at the Stadion Wankdorf in Bern.
Young Boys vs Panathinaikos Match Preview
Young Boys finished third in the Swiss league last season and qualified for the Europa League playoffs round, where they eliminated Slovan Bratislava to reach the league phase of the 2025/26 edition. The Swiss club endured one of the worst European campaigns in history in the 2024/25 campaign, losing all eight of their matches in the UEFA Champions League league phase, scoring just three times and conceding a whooping 24 goals. They will be looking to put those memories behind them with a win against their Greek opponents on Thursday.
Panathinaikos, meanwhile, earned their spot in this season’s UEFA Europa League after a second-placed finish in Greece Super League last season. They were defeated 3-1 on aggregate by Scottish side Rangers in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round, before recording victories over Shakhtar Donetsk and Samsunspor to reach the league phase of the Europa League. The Greek side will be eyeing an improved showing in Europe this season, following their exit at the round of 16 in the UEFA Conference League last season.
Young Boys vs Panathinaikos Head-to-Head Record
- 04.07.2009 – Young Boys 1-2 Panathinaikos
There has been only one previous meeting between both sides, with Panathinaikos claiming the bragging rights when they clashed in a club friendly match in 2009.
Recent Form: Young Boys
Young Boys were on a five-match winning streak before their shock 1-0 defeat to Aarau in the Swiss Cup last weekend. They have lost only two of their last 10 matches in all competitions and have not tasted defeat in any of their last 13 matches at home.
They are yet to win any of their two previous meetings against Greek sides in European competitions, recording one draw and one defeat.
Recent Form: Panathinaikos
The Greek side have been fairly inconsistent and have only won two of their last six matches in all competitions, leading to the dismissal of manager Rui Vitoria. They have also dropped points from winning positions in three of their last four matches.
In two matches against Swiss opponents in European competitions, Panathinaikos have won once and lost the other, and will be eyeing a second win when they face Young Boys.
Player to Watch: Cyriel Dessers
The Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers has been impressive since his move to the club in the summer, netting twice in three matches.
Dessers is a handful for opposition defenders with his constant runs off the ball and must be involved in the attacking phase, if Panathinaikos are to get a result from the match.
Simply @CyrielDessers ☘️⚽️
#Panathinaikos #PAOFC #PAOOLY #StoiximanSuperLeague #slgr #GB32 pic.twitter.com/pPw8PzdONA— Panathinaikos F.C. (@paofc_) September 21, 2025
Best Betting Tips
Over 1.5 Goals – 1.22 (via 1xBet)
Prediction
Both teams possess strong attacking options and will create several goal scoring opportunities in the encounter, making it a reliable bet for multiple goals.
