Thursday night sees the final round of this year’s Europa League Group Stage coming to an end. We’re going to take a look at the two Scottish teams in action, where already-qualified Rangers face Lech Poznan and Celtic host Lille. Elsewhere we’ve got our eye on three matches where qualification is still up for grabs. Let’s have a look then at where we’ve found some value.
5.55pm: Lech Poznan vs Rangers – BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals
Poznan are playing here for some pride. Should they lose they’re likely to end up finishing bottom of Group D, depending on goal difference. Rangers have already qualified but will be keen to finish top of the group to be seeded for the next round.
Poznan are decent at home, winning two, drawing two and losing one of their last five. Rangers though are in outstanding form, they’ve lost just one of their last 25 matches and away from home have gone 12 matches without defeat. Over 2.5 goals has occurred in four out of five previous home Poznan matches and in the last three away Rangers matches. Both Teams to Score has also landed in four out of five Poznan matches too. We think those trends will continue here, we’re going with BTTS & Over 2.5 goals.
5.55pm: Napoli vs Real Sociedad – Over 2.5 Goals
Napoli top Group F on 10 points, followed by Real Sociedad and AZ Alkmaar on eight so the pressure will be on the away side to go for the win here while a draw will do for the home side. Sociedad are in the better form but they’ve let their lead at the top of La Liga slip of late after drawing a few too many games.
Napoli’s home form isn’t great with three losses and two wins over their last five while Sociedad have won three and drawn two. Neither is scoring loads of goals – both have only scored in three out of their last five home/away matches but the fact remains here that Sociedad must win and they’ll have to go at Napoli. It must be noted too that while Napoli’s home matches haven’t seen so many goals, of late their recent form says they’ve rediscovered their touch and have netted 11 over their last four. We’re going with goals here. Over 2.5 goals is our pick.
5.55pm: Rapid Vienna vs Molde – Rapid Vienna Over 1.5 Goals
Rapid Vienna must win here, they’re three points behind Molde going into the match and lost away to them earlier in the season. They’re usually very strong at home and score tons of goals but they’ve drawn their two most previous matches and only scored two goals over them. They’ve won two, drawn two and lost one. Molde are in better form, having won four and lost one of their last five. They have the same record over their five most recent away matches.
Rapid do have plenty of goals in this team though, they have 25 over their 10 league matches this season and they’ve going to be desperate for the win here. Molde though will make it tough, they’ll sit back and soak up the pressure but Rapid will know very well that Molde rarely keep a clean sheet on the road and we should see plenty of action here. We’re liking the look of Rapid Over 1.5 Goals here.
5.55pm: Young Boys vs Cluj – Young Boys to Win and Over 2.5 Goals
Young Boys are in the driving seat here, a draw will do for them to qualify while Cluj need to take it to the home side. Seeing as they’re two points behind the Swiss side they’ll have to go for broke and get the win. Young Boys are pretty strong at home with three wins, one draw and one loss over their five most recent matches, and four out of the last five home Young Boys matches have seen Overs landing too.
The pressure is on Cluj but their Europa League form isn’t great. They’ve now gone three matches without a goal in the competition and while they’ll be up for it here, Young Boys have the form and the goalscorers to come out on top. There’s decent value in Young Boys to Win and Over 2.5 Goals here.
8pm: Celtic vs Lille – BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals
Celtic’s embarrassing Europa League expedition finally comes to an end and apart from a brief hurrah in Milan last week it’s been a joyless few matches for the Glasgow side. Lille have already qualified but Milan, should they beat Sparta Prague and Lille lose, will leapfrog them into top spot.
Both teams are, at least, in strong goal-scoring form and rarely go a game without a goal or two. BTTS isn’t offering much value here but with both scoring plenty of late Overs should come in too so we can sweeten the odds by backing BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals.
*All odds in copy and recording correct at time of publication. Odds are subject to change but they’re always bang on with our clever betting banners.
Thursday’s Europa League acca
5.55pm: Lech Poznan vs Rangers – BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals
5.55pm: Napoli vs Real Sociedad – Over 2.5 Goals
5.55pm: Rapid Vienna vs Molde – Rapid Vienna Over 1.5 Goals
5.55pm: Young Boys vs Cluj – Young Boys to Win and Over 2.5 Goals
8pm: Celtic vs Lille – BTTS & Over 2.5 Goals
- All five of these picks in a Paddy Power acca-insured five-fold Acca will give you odds of 22/1
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More top tips for Thursday
- Arsenal to beat the handicap in this 8/1 Same Game Multi v Dundalk
- DOUBLE: 6/1 pair of bets for Leicester and Spurs’ Thursday night matches