Viktoria Plzeň secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Panathinaikos in Athens on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie. The result came despite playing over an hour with ten men after Václav Jemelka received a red card.
The match, held at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, saw Viktoria Plzeň under sustained pressure following Jemelka’s dismissal in the 35th minute for a second bookable offense. Panathinaikos, spurred on by their home supporters, immediately intensified their attacks, but Plzeň’s goalkeeper, Martin Jedlička, proved to be a formidable barrier, thwarting several clear scoring opportunities, including efforts from Pellistri.
Despite being a man down, Viktoria Plzeň did not simply retreat into a defensive shell, attempting to launch counter-attacks when possible. Although, Panathinaikos continued to dominate possession, controlling the ball for 71% of the match. They registered four shots on target to Plzeň’s two, and had seven shots off target compared to Plzeň’s two. The Greek side also earned nine corner kicks to Plzeň’s two.
The match was a physical affair, with a total of 23 fouls committed – 14 by Panathinaikos and nine by Plzeň. Several players from both sides were cautioned, including Touba, Djuričić, and Zarúrí for Panathinaikos, and Jemelka, Wiegele, Hyský, and Dweh for Plzeň.
Viktoria Plzeň’s head coach, Martin Hyský, had emphasized the importance of winning prior to the match, stating his team had “come to win,” according to reports. He also acknowledged the quality of Panathinaikos, describing them as a team “with the quality of the Champions League.”
Panathinaikos Athens: Lafont – Calabria, Palmer-Brown, Ingason (C), Touba (58. Bakasetas) – Chirivella, Siopis (58. Gnezda Čerin), Djuričić – Tetê, Pantović (75. Świderski), Zarúrí.
FC Viktoria Plzeň: Wiegele – Doski, Dweh, Jemelka – Višinský (41. Marković), Valenta (74. Zeljković), Červ (C), Ladra (66. Spáčil), Memić – Durosinmi (74. Vydra), Adu (41. Souaré).
The Portuguese refereeing team, led by Nobre, issued five yellow cards to Panathinaikos and four to Viktoria Plzeň, culminating in Jemelka’s sending off. The second leg is scheduled to be played in Plzeň, with the date yet to be announced.
