Europa League: Midweek Picks (1st/2nd December)

Sports Betting Tips

 

The Europa League is drawing to a close, with just two round of group matches left to play, and by the end of Thursday night we will have a better idea of who’s in the pot for the draw for the knock-outs, which commence in the New Year, and which teams have packed their bags early and face the annoyance of playing one final group encounter with nothing significant on the line. There will be shocks, undoubtedly, and there will be a large number fighting tooth and nail for a place in the last-32.

Here are our picks for Wednesday’s and Thursday’s Europa League fixtures. Some are based on a variety of reasons, some weaker than others, so feel free to to highlight and rule out those you see fit. Good Luck!

 

Leg 1: Sampdoria
Leg 2: Zenit St Petersburg
Leg 3: Manchester City
Leg 4: Beskitas
Leg 5: Villarreal

Bet Type: Accumulator
Odds: 19.00 (18/1) – StanJames

 

Sampdoria V PSV: Wednesday, 1st December (18:00 GMT)

It’s now or never for the Italians, with even a draw likely to result in an early bath for a team previously favourites to clinch the group, let alone snatch qualification from the jaws of despair. Controversy off the pitch has led to a downward spiral period of results, with Sampdoria (2.60 StanJames) recording just one win in their last five Serie A matches in the aftermath of the Antonio Cassano saga. The Italian international had a very public spat with the club chairman and hasn’t featured since, and manager Domenico Di Carlo is the man which has suffered the most as he is now without inarguably his most influential player.

In stark contrast is the form PSV are in. Top of the Dutch Eredivisie table, there’s plenty to shout about in Eindhoven. At least there was until FC Twente joined them at the summit following PSV’s shock and emphatic loss away to NAC Breda over the weekend. Any momentum which was previously built up has effectively been lost and with qualification all but sewn up, it wouldn’t be the biggest of surprise to see complacency creep into their play once more in midweek.

Even though Sampdoria are still treading troubled water, results are steadily improving – Beating Lecce 3-2 on the road a fortnight ago before holding Serie A leaders AC Milan to a 1-1 draw last weekend – whilst we shouldn’t ignore the fact they’re unbeaten at home in Europe this season and haven’t conceded a goal at home in the group phase thus far. Life after Cassano is showing signs of improving and with the hosts now in a must-win situation and boasting home advantage in a hostile Genoa, we’re willing to take a bit of a risk on a Sampdoria side with no margin for error.

 

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Zenit St Petersburg V Anderlecht: Wednesday, 1st December (18:00 GMT) — BET OF THE ROUND!!!

I couldn’t believe the price when I seen it, but the recently crowned champions of Russia are a MUST on Wednesday when they tackle an Anderlecht side in desperate need of a positive result out in a bitterly cold Russia.

The hosts, as we said, are the new Russian kings and furthermore wrapped up their qualification into the knock-outs with two games to spare. That makes Wednesday’s clash with Anderlecht meaningless to them, but do not expect Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti, a manager with enough European nous and know-how to know that now the Russian league has come to a close, with the final game of the season just last weekend, the importance of getting his players onto the pitch for some rare competitive action will be priceless. The Russia season will not commence again for months, so the Europa League, while there is only a couple of matches left to play until the competition also has a break until the new year, will provide his players with some ample playing time. Moreover, what with the team seeing no action until they kick-start their knock-out campaign next year, the importance of continuing their momentum building exercise shouldn’t be understated, with Zenit having won all four of their group encounters thus far, racking up an impressive 12 goals in the process.

Of course, the bookies are running scared what with the hosts having nothing to play for in the competition now that qualification is all wrapped up as well as the visitors needing a result to stay in the tournament, but those factors are completely cancelled out by the Russian league’s winter break. And if you aren’t convinced by our reasoning so far, both side’s respective records in the competition should shed more light on why Zenit St Petersburg (2.10 Bet365) are an early Christmas gift. Zenit have won all four of their Group G clashes, Anderlecht just the one, at home as well. And if you’re still not entirely convinced of merely need a little more persuasion, Zenit thumped the very same opponent 3-1 over in Belgium.

 

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Manchester City V Red Bull Salzburg: Wednesday, 1st December (20:05 GMT)

Laugh at us all you want, mock us for all we care, heck we even deserve some of the latter, but Manchester City‘s home meeting with Red Bull Salzburg should be a formality, so the 1/4 (StanJames) currently on offer looks an absolute steal. Add in Roberto Mancini’s determination to ensure City are involved in European competition in the new year with the possibility of a ‘make or break’ clash with Juventus on the final Match Day should City fall flat on their face at Eastlands, a scenario the Citizens will be eager to avoid.. Of course, there is no such thing as a certaintyin  football, we’re just feel this is the next best thing however.

We haven’t an awful lot more to say other than Mancini will field a very strong side for Wednesday’s clash, with Mario Balotelli among those set to feature. Carlos Tevez may also be needed as circumstances dictate City need to win. Salzburg, meanwhile, are also in a ‘do or die’ situation but have been woeful in the group thus far. On Match Day 1 City comfortably ran out 2-0 winners in Austria in the first meeting between the two sides, while they’ve yet to register an away goal. They did well to ground out a 0-0 draw in Turin, but Juventus aren’t what they used to be and on Thursday, up against a fired up City team who know exactly what is needed from their last two group matches, we really would be left stunned were the Citizens to come a cropper in what is their easiest group encounter of the six.

 

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CSKA Sofia V Beskitas: Thursday, 2nd December (18:00 GMT)

I’ve never been the biggest of fans when it comes to backing Turkish outfits on the road in Europe, what with the majority having built their European reputations on some solid and intimidating home foundations. However, Beskitas (2.20 Ladbrokes) have been a better outfit on the road in the Europa League this season, picking up four points as opposed to the three at home, and remain unbeaten on their travels in Group L, impressively so, recording a 2-1 win over in Austria against Rapid Vienna while last time out they held group leaders FC Porto to a 1-1 draw in Portugal.

It must be said that Beskitas do look a precarious proposition, what with a point in Bulgaria enough to seal progression providing Porto don’t suffer a shock loss elsewhere. But the visitors can’t afford to rely on results elsewhere and will want to ensure they sail through on their own terms no doubt. They’re four points clears of Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia in second and the omens are good considering their away record in Europe this season is half-decent and Sofia’s at home is darn-right terrible. The Bulgarians have lost both their home Group L encounters without even scoring, losing 2-0 to Rapid and 1-0 to Porto. Furthermore, the Istanbul outfit arrive with a good bill of health having gone their last six competitive matches without losing, winning their previous two domestic away clashes as well.

Far from a foregone conclusion, but value nonetheless in our opinion.

 

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Villarreal V Dinamo Zagreb: Thursday, 2nd December (20:05 GMT)

We have another big name in a precarious state, with Spanish La Liga side Villarreal (1.36 WilliamHill), whom currently sit third in the Spanish league table following a hugely impressive start to the season which has seen them record five wins in six matches at El Madrigal, home of the Yellow Submarines. The only team to have left the province of Castellon, where Villa reside, unscathed are Valencia, with the likes of Deportivo, Espanyol, Racing Santander, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao all being put to the sword by the next best thing in Spain outside of Barcelona and Madrid, while the first four scalps mentioned were beaten without even conceding.

It’s impressive to think that Villarreal have beaten three sides inside the top-ten in the Spanish table comprehensively, scary to read up on their resolute defence, one which has conceded just two La Liga goals and one Europa League goal at El Madrigal, and a crying shame to see Valencia spoiling the club’s previously flawless run at home of winning every home encounter, whatever the competition. It’s fair to say that El Madrigal has become something of a fortress for Juan Carlos Garrido’s team this season, and he will need to crowd to act as a twelfth man on Thursday night as his side go in search of three sought after points in the club’s quest to make the last-32.

Villarreal could actually go out on Thursday with defeat, if results elsewhere also go against them, and so, with the margin for error at zero and the consequences of not winning their final home match of the group possibly decisive for all the wrong reasons, we’re expecting Garrido to send his team out fired up and focused on achieving just one result: a Win.