Confidence and positive thinking have been the key themes in the Panathinaikos FC camp this week as coach Henk ten Cate attempts to gee his players up for the trip to Villarreal CF.

Turnaround
Since their astonishing Group B turnaround, where victories in their last three fixtures saw the Greens clinch a place in the knockout stage for the first time in seven years, there is hope that the Athens club, the only Greek side to have reached a European Champion Clubs' Cup final – losing 2-0 to Johan Cruyff's AFC Ajax in 1971 – are ready to upset the odds once more. Having underperformed domestically, Panathinaikos seem to be more suited to the European arena, where Ten Cate's tactical nous helped them pick up 1-0 and 3-0 away wins at FC Internazionale Milano and Werder Bremen respectively.

European focus
Eleven points behind runaway leaders and reigning champions Olympiacos CFP with seven matches to play, the Greens have all but conceded the title but progress in the UEFA Champions League would be a substantial consolation. They will take comfort from the fact that Villarreal have not won any of their last three games in Europe's premier club competition. Yet to lose a UEFA Champions League match at their El Madrigal home, the Spanish side are draw specialists, having tied ten of their 18 games in Europe's élite competition.

FC Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal have already qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout round, but both clubs have a few reasons for wanting to finish the group stage in style

Sporting Clube de Portugal and FC Porto will meet this weekend in very different moods following contrasting fortunes in this week's UEFA Champions League matches