We’ve already served up a treble for the early games and now we’re going to see this glorious Thursday full of football through to the bitter end and cover the 8pm starts. Given that Spurs are playing – the most hilariously entertaining side in the world football for both the right and wrong reasons – everyone will be watching.
Celtic are always dynamite in Europe too under Neil Lennon and, given the fact he’s furious that someone inside his inner circle leaked his XI the night before the Old Firm, don’t be expecting anything other than a full-bodied approach in this tie against Zlatan and co.
And what about Leicester? In theory they should be set up to be effective in Europe, and dropping from the Champions League to the Europa League genuinely might see them as contenders for a major European trophy.
These are unprecedented times as our various governments keep telling us, and the Europa League will always remain a mystery – once Sevilla aren’t in it. Your treble, folks.
Celtic v AC Milan – Both Teams to Score
Look, this Celtic team isn’t great. It’s not a difficult statement to make either. If you’re not the best side in Scotland then you’re probably going to struggle in European competition. It’s not rocket science. However, all good equations and logic go out the window when European football bears down upon Glasgow on cold midweek evenings.
Milan should have more than enough to get by here as the price suggests, but it won’t without a struggle, simply because Neil Lennon may actually lock his players in the dressing room if they don’t knock one past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Celtic have quality at the top end of the pitch; that much we can’t deny – and if they go consecutive fixtures, those being an Old Firm and European fixture without a goal – there’ll be an inquest so expect Both Teams To Score in this one.
Leicester v Zorya – Jamie Vardy to Score Two or More Goals
Look, Luhansk is east of the Dnieper and what that means for those less travelled, is that their players will probably go through you if you take a second touch.
Zorya are a funny outfit in so much as they’re from a small city of just 400,000 in Ukraine and have had limited sporting success over the years, but they’ve landed in the Europa League group stages because of a handy path if we’re being honest.
Currently, they’ve won just one of their six games in the Ukrainian Premier League and their only clean sheet was against whipping boys Lviv, who’ve shipped 17 times in their five games in the league. Jamie Vardy is going to gorge himself here and we’re on him to score two or more goals in this one.
Spurs v LASK – Both Teams to Score
I cannot explain to you just why Spurs are going to concede in this game of football when they’re not long removed from a Champions League final – but their European performances are almost as cathartic as their domestic sh**housing.
You know they’ll win this game, I know they’ll win this game and everyone else in a 600-mile radius of north London knows they’ll win this game.
But, even more of a certainty than that – is they’re, for some reason, going to have a needlessly embarrassing moment. And that’ll be the concession of a goal despite their dominance in every other metric hence, Both Teams To Score. Glorious, glorious Tottenham.
Tips for Thursday’s 20:00 Europa League games
Celtic v AC Milan – Both Teams to Score
Leicester v Zorya – Jamie Vardy to Score Two or More Goals
Spurs v LASK – Both Teams to Score
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