UEFA Europa League Round of 16
Panathinaikos 1 - 0 FT Real Betis
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Natan 17'
HT
↓ Natan ↑V. Gomez 46'
48' Anass Zaroury
59' Anass Zaroury
59' Anass Zaroury
Diego Llorente 66'
↓ A. Ezzalzouli ↑R. Riquelme 68'
↓ R. Rodriguez ↑J. Firpo 69'
Junior Firpo 75'
↓ S. Altimira ↑N. Deossa 78'
83' ↓ A. Tetteh ↑K. Swiderski
83' ↓ A. Gnezda Cerin ↑M. Siopis
86' Karol Świderski
Diego Llorente 86'
Diego Llorente 86'
Pau López 87'
88' V. Taborda
↓ P. Fornals ↑M. Bartra 89'
90'+2 ↓ F. Pellistri ↑F. Djuricic
90'+4 ↓ V. Taborda ↑S. Andino
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Panathinaikos
Goalkeepers
A. Lafont 
OCTOPUS
6
Saves
6
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
D. Calabria 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
S. I. Ingason
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
G. Katris
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Tetteh
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Zaroury 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
3
Fouls
5.6
Rating
R. Sanches
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Gnezda Cerin
LATE SHIFT
7
Late Mins
7
Late Mins
83
Total Mins
83
Entry
G. Kyriakopoulos
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
F. Pellistri 
NPC
89
Minutes
89
Minutes
9%
Pass Acc
6.9
Rating
V. Taborda 
CLUTCH HERO
88
Goal Time
88
Goal Time
Penalty
Impact
7.3
Rating
BENCH
C. Geitonas 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
A. Vyntra
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
F. Djuricic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Chirivella
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Siopis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Pantovic
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Swiderski
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
S. Andino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Kotsaris
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Real Betis
Goalkeepers
P. Lopez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
A. Ruibal 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
47%
Pass Acc
D. Llorente
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
6
Fouls
6.2
Rating
Natan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
R. Rodriguez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
69
Entry
Midfielders
S. Altimira
LATE SHIFT
12
Late Mins
12
Late Mins
79
Total Mins
78
Entry
M. Roca 
MAGNET
69
Activity
69
Activity
65
Passes
4
Duels
Antony 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
P. Fornals
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
44%
Pass Acc
A. Ezzalzouli 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
10
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Cucho Hernandez 
DRIBBLER
7
Dribbles
7
Dribbles
7
Attempts
100%
Success %
BENCH
A. Valles
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Adrian
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
M. Bartra
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Firpo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
V. Gomez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
H. Bellerin
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Deossa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Fidalgo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Riquelme
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Bakambu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Avila
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Garcia
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/12/2026 | Panathinaikos | 1 - 0 | Real Betis | UEFA Europa League | Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium |
03/12/2026
Panathinaikos Win
Real Betis Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Panathinaikos Stun Betis in Late Penalty Drama
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 77/100. An extraordinary smash-and-grab performance saw Panathinaikos survive an onslaught and a red card to steal a crucial first-leg advantage in Athens.
The Siege of Spiros Louis
Real Betis dictated the terms immediately, turning Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium into their own personal passing clinic. The Spanish side controlled possession with a sweeping 68 percent share, weaving 572 passes as they hunted an early away goal. They suffocated the Greek hosts, earning a staggering 12 corners and applying relentless set-piece pressure. Yet, for all their territorial dominance and 13 total shots, they repeatedly found themselves frustrated by Alban Lafont. The Panathinaikos goalkeeper was an absolute wall, pulling off six extraordinary saves to keep the match scoreless. A high Intensity rating reflects the sheer volume of attacks Betis launched, forcing the home defense to bend continuously without ever completely breaking during the opening hour.
The Double Dismissal
The mountain grew infinitely steeper for the hosts in the 59th minute when Anass Zaroury was shown a straight red card for a reckless foul. Down to ten men against a technically superior side, a home defeat felt inevitable. Betis turned up the heat, pushing their defensive line aggressively high, eager to kill the tie before the return leg. However, the true Upset materialized out of thin air in the 86th minute. A rare Panathinaikos foray into the box ended in chaos. Following a lengthy VAR review, the referee confirmed a penalty for a foul on Karol Świderski. The decision compounded the misery for Betis as Diego Llorente was sent packing with a red card of his own.
A Fragile Advantage
With numerical Balance completely restored in the dying moments, the stadium erupted in anticipation. V. Taborda stepped up to the spot in the 88th minute, shouldering the weight of an entire fanbase. He coolly dispatched the penalty, securing an improbable 1-0 victory with his side's only shot on target all evening. It was the ultimate smash-and-grab performance. The massive Stakes of this Round of 16 tie now shift entirely to Spanish soil. Real Betis will host the second leg on March 19, needing to overturn this deficit. They dominated every statistical category except the scoreboard, proving that possession means nothing without a clinical edge in European knockout football.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Anass Zaroury impact the match?
It forced Panathinaikos into a deep defensive block, relying heavily on brilliant goalkeeping to survive before a late counter-attack shifted the momentum entirely.
How dramatic was the late winner by Alban Lafont?
While V. Taborda scored the actual match-winning penalty, Lafont's spectacular six saves throughout the night were equally dramatic and vital to securing the unbelievable victory.
What does this mean for Panathinaikos's season?
They take a precious 1-0 aggregate lead to Spain, keeping their European dream alive heading into a highly hostile second leg.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Athens Awaits a European Classic
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 80/100. With a quarter-final spot on the line, Panathinaikos must build a vital first-leg advantage against a formidable Real Betis side.
The Setup
We are live under the lights at Spiros Louis Olympic Stadium this March 12, 2026. This Round of 16 clash carries massive Stakes. It is only the first chapter of a two-leg tie, with the crucial return fixture in Spain looming on March 19. The Greek hosts bring decent Form but have struggled to dominate on their own turf recently. Conversely, the Spanish visitors thrive on the road and boast an offensive Balance that frightens most defenses across the continent.
Key Battle
The spotlight falls on two game-changers carrying exceptional Stars quality. Andreas Tetteh is the offensive engine for the home side, looking to break lines and finish every chance that falls his way. He faces off against Antony, whose creative spark and pace for the visitors can unlock any backline in Europe.
Our Verdict
We expect the visitors to assert control early. The Spanish outfit's superior tactical discipline should help them navigate the hostile Athenian atmosphere. Expect them to snatch a narrow victory, taking a vital lead back home for next week's second leg.