The Oswestry side go into the UEFA Conference League group stage fixture at Croud Meadow as massive underdogs against one of the most famous names in European football.

The 20-time Greek champions arrive in Shropshire with over 10,000 top-flight appearances and over 750 full international caps, plus a squad with an estimated value of over €100 million.

Thursday’s visitors hold plenty of pedigree within the European game.

Midfielder, Azzedine Ounahi was named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and defender Tin Jedvaj was on the bench for Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final.

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On top of that, Rui Vitoria’s side have Brazilian international Tete in their ranks while their captain Anastasios Bakasetas starred in the Greece team that defeated England 2-1 at Wembley back in October.

Despite the odds, Saints head coach Craig Harrison insisted his side would not be overawed and looked forward to taking on the Greek giants in front of an expected sell out crowd.

He said: “I am extremely proud of everyone associated with this club.

“The players have shown such togetherness throughout this campaign and I think the staff also deserve a lot of praise, even when the players have a day off we have staff members hard at work preparing for training and matches.

“It will be an extremely tough game and we are under no illusions as to the size of the challenge we face against one of European football’s top sides.

“This is the level we have worked so hard to get to and these are the games we want to be involved in as a club.”

Harrison conceded the European adventure had impacted the Saints’ domestic season with last week’s defeat against Bala Town representing a fifth defeat of the JD Cymru Premier season.

While the Saints’ domestic wobble has been seized upon by their detractors, Harrison insisted the Oswestry club remained on target for a successful season at home and abroad.

Tete and Anastasios Bakasetas. (Image: Wikipedia.) “We are in the final of the league cup, still in the Welsh Cup and sit second in the table,” said Harrison. “We are also in the group stages of a European competition for the first time and playing some of the best club sides on the continent.

“These extra games and travel commitments have taken a toll on the players and with us playing roughly every three days we do not have a lot of time to recover.

“However our lads have shown a wonderful togetherness since the start of the season and even if they miss out on a starting place or place on the bench they are doing their part by supporting their team-mates.”

The bumper crowd is expected to be buoyed by thousands of UK-based Panathinaikos fans to swell the number travelling from Greece as well as Shrewsbury-based football fans who have seized upon the unprecedented opportunity to watch European club football on their doorstep.