* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Finally the Europa League is about to warm up. We’ve got Matchday 5 on Thursday night with plenty to play for in every single group. Of course there is the odd whipping boy thrown in, but the groups, generally speaking, are far closer than the competition’s bigger brother Champions League with most teams having a live chance of progression.
Some dreams will come true on Thursday, some will be shattered. Certain managers will be quietly pleased to be slinking out at the group stages and others will be going 100% to try and make it through to the knockouts.
NEW TO PADDY POWER?
The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com right nowThere’s also the potential ignominy of finishing 3rd and dropping into the Europa Conference League. I’ll be sticking with the Europea League for your Thursday acca.
We’ve got a smattering of British clubs taking part in the 8pm kick offs as well as a couple of really tight games featuring some of the competition’s bigger sides. I think there’s some nice value about so let’s get into it.
* An accumulator on these four best bets pays at approximately 22/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Brondby v Lyon – Lyon to Win
Rock bottom Brondby host leaders Lyon in Group A with the home side still clinging on to faint hopes of making it through to the knockout stages. Lyon have won four from four so far and are safely into the hat for the next round.
Brondby are two points behind Sparta Prague and Rangers who are locked on four points in 2nd and 3rd. Lyon are an amazing price to win here, given how they’re preformed in this competition to date, with the caveat of potential rest and rotation.
However, after the disgraceful scenes that saw their clash with Marseille abandoned at the weekend I think they might go quite strong as that game was called off after just five minutes. All things considered, at the price, you can’t miss Lyon to Win in any accas on Thursday.
Leicester v Legia Warsaw – Leicester to Win and BTTS
TV: BT Sport 2 and BT Sport Ultimate
Leicester are huge favourites against Legia Warsaw but trail the Polish side by a point in Group C. This game is going to go a long way towards working out who’s making it through and who’s going home with just three points separating Napoli in 1st and Spartak Moscow in 4th.
The Foxes are in poor form and are without a win in five games in all competitions but that’s nothing compared to their opponents who have lost eight of their last nine games. With the pressure growing, I think Brendan Rodgers might go strong to get a win and kick start his side into life.
Leicester always concede (no clean sheet in 11 games) and Legia have netted in five of their six Europa League games including qualifiers. Throw all that into the mix and I think Leicester to Win and Both Teams To Score could be a smart play.
Monaco v Real Sociedad – Under 2.5 Goals
TV: BT Sport Extra 2
Scooting over to Group B next where leaders Monaco host La Liga surprise package Real Sociedad. The principality club are two points clear of their Spanish counterparts in another potentially group-defining game. With 3rd-placed PSV playing bottom placed Sturm Graz, a loss could be catastrophic for our two teams.
These two have been quite draw-happy recently with four in Sociedad’s last six games in all competitions and Monaco racking up three on the bounce. One thing these two share is that they like to keep things tight.
Just one of Monaco’s Europa League games this term have seen Over 2.5 Goals and it’s the same for Sociedad. With plenty at stake I think this will be safety-first from both sides and Under 2.5 Goals.
Rangers v Sparta Prague – BTTS and Over 2.5 Goals
TV: BT Sport 3
Rangers under their new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst are level on points with their opponents on Thursday, Sparta Prague. Rangers trail their Czech opponents courtesy of the head-to-head rankings after they lost 1-0 in their first meeting under the departed Steven Gerrard.
This is a must-win match for the Scottish champions with Lyon to come on the final day. In reality they’ll probably need to beat Sparta by a two-goal margin and hope for some unlikely results on the last day to make it through and avoid dropping into the Europa Conference.
It all means that Rangers have to go for it a bit here after their damaging draw away at Brondby last time out. The Gers have conceded in every group game this campaign while Sparta managed to put three past Lyon. I think the best bet here might be Both Teams to Score and Over 2.5 Goals.
Thursday football acca
Brondby v Lyon – Lyon to Win
Leicester v Legia Warsaw – Leicester to Win and BTTS
Monaco v Real Sociedad – Under 2.5 Goals
Rangers v Sparta Prague – BTTS and Over 2.5 Goals
* An accumulator on these four best bets pays at approximately 22/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
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* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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