Forget Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday night live is where all the action takes place! All jokes aside, the Europa League’s appeal and quality grow season after season. Who does not want to see Jose Mourinho take on the world, Arsenal search for their first European trophy, or Manchester United face Real Sociedad?
Check out all 16 predictions and a tasty multiple!
Thursday 8 September
4/10 PSV | Draw 42/10 | Bodø/Glimt 58/10 (18:45)
Former Man United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV hosts Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt. The home side are the big favorites having suffered a disappointing defeat to Rangers in the Champions League playoffs.
While the home team boast a plethora of attacking talent and I expect them to find the net connivingly, I would not put it past the Norwegians finding the net. The home side Matchbet and Both Teams to Score (Yes) at 33/20 seems the best bet for me.
48/10 Ludogorets | Draw 33/10 | Roma 11/20 (18:45)
You could call him The Chosen One, or Mr. UEFA, but Jose Mourinho knows how to put together a winning side. Roma gets their latest quest for continental silverware underway against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad.
With all due respect to Ludogorets, a strikeforce featuring Paulo Dybala, Nicolo Zaniolo and Tammy Abraham – when all are fit – certainly pose a threat on goal. Back Roma to walk away with all three points in this Group C encounter.
7/1 HJK Helsinki | Draw 42/20 | Real Betis 7/20 (18:45)
A Copa del Rey triumph saw Real Betis guarantee a place in Group C while Veikkausliiga champions, HJK Helsinki, fought through qualifying to reach this stage. Manuel Pellegrini’s start to their La Liga season has been stellar albeit a write-off 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid. Sink your teeth into this encounter, with the away side a tipped to bag all three points.
4/1 AEK Larnaca | Draw 29/10 | Stade Rennais 7/10 (18:45)
On paper, this looks as though Ligue 1 powerhouse Rennais will run riot, but in reality, it could be a real banana-skin kind of fixture.
The Cyprus-based home side has dug their way through the trenches to reach the final stage of Europa, winning three and drawing one before their clash this Thursday. While the odds suggest the away side, I’m backing Both Teams to Score (Yes) at 9/10.
8/1 Zürich | Draw 48/10 | Arsenal 3/10 (18:45)
The banker of the opening round is unquestionably Arsenal’s trip to Switzerland. While Mikel Arteta’s lineup should be heavily rotated after their 3-1 defeat to Man United, the likes of Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Eddie Nketiah are enough to do damage to anyone in Group A. Back the away team on the Matchbet and Additional Totals Over 2.5 at 7/10.
13/20 Fenerbahce | Draw 3/1 | Dynamo Kyiv (18:45)
Dynamo Kiev head to Turkey without a win in their last four competitive fixtures, while hosts, Fenerbahce, enter this encounter fresh off a 2-0 triumph.
The atmosphere at any Turkish venue is always electric, but for an away side it can be rather daunting. I’m tipping the hosts here plus Additional Totals Under 3.5 at 31/20.
23/10 Malmö | Draw 5/2 | Braga 12/10 (18:45)
Sporting Braga is unbeaten in five straight games and will put their run on the line at Eleda Stadion against Malmö. Arguably the most tightly contested, as the Swedish side defeated Sivasspor 6-1 on aggregate to make it to the group stages. Either side could nick a victory, but I’m tipping a draw.
6/10 Union Berlin | Draw 32/10 | St. Gillosie 4/1 (18:45)
You might look at these odds and think something is not right, but in actual fact, Union Berlin at home is a tough ask for even footballing giants.
Bayern Munich have struggled to get three points in the Bundesliga, drawing 1-1 at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei last Saturday. Strongly get behind Berlin.
13/10 Omonia | Draw 9/4 | Sheriff 9/4 (21:00)
Omonia has played just two league fixtures in the Cypriot First Division with an opening round draw and their most recent result being a 3-2 victory over Europa League competitors AEK Larnaca.
However, Sheriff dropped down from the Champions League to compete in the play-offs where they struggled to score, drawing both home and away before progressing via penalties. The home side doesn’t have enough under their belt this season for me to be convinced and Sheriff isn’t that convincing either. I would consider Sheriff on the Draw/Win Double Chance at 11/20 – not for multiples.
7/10 Man United | Draw 29/10 | Real Sociedad 38/10 (21:00)
Man United are among the favourites to seal the Europa League title this term and the in-form Red Devils take on their toughest test of the group at Old Trafford when they face Real Sociedad.
Imagine having Casemiro and the Antony show (I haven’t forgotten about Cristiano Ronaldo) as starters in the Europa League? Erik ten Hag is spoilt for choice in front of the home crowd, and at 7/10 how can we ignore the Red Devils’ fourth straight triumph across all competitions? I’m not even a United fan and I’ll say it with my chest – United win!
33/20 Sturm Graz | Draw 47/20 | 33/20 Midtjylland (21:00)
Both sides were knocked out at the group stage of last season’s competition, so they will be hoping to improve on that this time around. The away team has failed to get a win in their last four fixtures with just one victory prior.
Sturm Graz know this will be their best shot at getting three points in the group before facing their current opposition away and then facing Lazio and Feyenoord. Back the home side on the Draw No Bet at 17/20.
21/20 Lazio | Draw 11/4 | Feyenoord 24/10 (21:00)
One of the few tightly contested matchups takes place in Italy when Lazio welcomes Dutch side Feyenoord. The Eagles missed out on a round of 16 spot last season and come into this encounter on the back of a 2-1 loss to Napoli which can be easily chalked off.
While I do believe Lazio can edge this fixture on home soil, Feyenoord’s 23-year-old Brazilian attacker, Danilo, has featured in all five fixtures scoring five, and sits at 43/20 as an anytime goalscorer.
NEWS: Liverpool suffer Champions League humiliation against Napoli
5/4 Ferencvárosi | Draw 24/10 | Trabzonspor 22/10 (21:00)
Ferencvaros maintained their perfect start to the 2022-23 Hungarian top-flight campaign as they walked all over Ujpest 6-0. Stanislav Cherchesov‘s side has now won each of their opening five games, scoring an impressive 15 goals and conceding only once.
Trabzonspor, on the other hand, returned to winning ways last time out through former Aston Villa forward Mohmoud Trezeguet’s only goal of the game. I’m all over the home team as an outside value bet.
4/10 Freiburg | Draw 39/10 | Karabakh 6/1 (21:00)
Just behind Arsenal, Freiburg is another banker in my books. Top of the Bundesliga after five matchdays, manager Christian Streich has set up his side compact when needed, collecting a pair of one-nil wins, and expansive when in search of goals, winning 4-0 and 3-2 away from home. Put your salary on the German side.
NEWS: Richarlison scores twice as Tottenham win on Champions League return
43/20 Red Star Belgrade | Draw 51/20 | Monaco 12/10 (21:00)
Both sides reached the last-16 stage of the Europa League last season and will surely have multiplied desire to go even further this time around.
These sides will likely show each other plenty of respect having both topped their groups in this competition last season. Because of the possible tentative start from either, the draw is likely.
14/10 Nantes | Draw 24/10 | Olympiacos 2/1 (21:00)
Group G is the ‘Group of Death’ for this season’s Europa League. If you’re setting your sights on the top spot, you must win your home fixtures.
But since going down 4-0 to PSG in the Trophee des Champions, Les Canaris have only managed to win one of their first six Ligue 1 fixtures of the new season. In contrast, the 47-time Greek champions Olympiacos could have been in the Champions League had they not been humbled to a 5-1 aggregate by Maccabi Haifa. The draw is my play.
MULTIPLE @ 56/10
Real Betis Win 7/20
Arsenal Win 3/10
Union Berlin Win 6/10
Man United Win 7/10
Freiburg Win 4/10
