Europa League Draw and Outright Odds

The Premier League’s entrants into the Europa League for this season, have all learned who their opposition will be in the Play-Off round. The winners of these ties will go into the Europa League group stage for the tournament, the current holders of which are the Diego Forlan inspired Atletico Madrid. Liverpool, who had to come through a qualification round prior to this play-off round, have a tie against Trabzonspor from Turkey. Liverpool, who beat Macedonian side Rabotnicki 4-0 on aggregate in the previous round, will have a much tougher time of things against the Turkish side. Liverpool will begin the tie at home on August 19th, with the away fixture being booked for August 26th. Those are the same dates for all home and away fixtures for the Europa League play-off round. Liverpool have encountered Trabzonspor in European competition once before, with Liverpool comfortably beating their opponents, but that was over thirty years ago which clearly won’t have any bearing on what happens at the end of August.

Big spending Manchester City have an away first leg against FC Timisoara from Romania. They have a much easier fixture on paper, against a side that only came to be an established club less than a decade ago. Naturally the word from the City camp is how tough and tricky a game it will be, showing some respect to a team which their star studded side should hammer. Aston Villa, who are still awaiting the appointment of a new manager after Martin O’Neill suddenly walked out on the Midlands side, will square off against Rapid Vienna from Austria. This will be the second consecutive season that the two clubs have clashed in the Europa League, and Villa will have revenge in mind after the Austrians triumphed last year after winning both home and away legs. Looking at the draw for the English clubs, Villa got the wrong end of the stick really, and whoever comes in as new boss, could automatically win some plaudits by taking Villa deep into Europe.

Scottish sides Celtic, Dundee United and Motherwell are also in the Play-Off stage of the competition, playing Utrecht, AEK Athens and Odense respectively. Wales are represented by The New Saints who play CSKA Sofia from Bulgaria.

Europa League Play Off First Legs

Liverpool to win: 1/3 at SkyBet
Draw: 7/2 at Totesport
Trabzonsport to win: 8/1 at Totesport

Manchester City to win: 8/11 at Blue Square
Draw: 13/5 at Totesport
FC Timisoara: 4/1 at Bwin

Aston Villa to win: Evens at Bwin
Draw: 9/4 at Totesport
Rapid Vienna to win: 13/8 at SkyBet

Europa League Outrights
Manchester City: 13/2 at Bet365
Liverpool: 10/1 at SkyBet
Juventus: 14/1 at Totesport
Atletico Madrid: 16/1 at Stan James
Aston Villa: 25/1 at BetFred
Celtic: 80/1 at Totesport