The Europa League is back with its brand new play-off round and some of Europe’s best are fighting to stay in the competition. After a gruelling League Phase, the teams placed 9th to 24th face off against each other, with only half progressing to the last 16.
While the Champions League may be favoured by some in terms of glamour, there are plenty of high-profile matches here and some of the world’s biggest stars on show. Join us as we preview all of this week’s action.
NetBet is here with all the best football betting odds you need for betting on the Europa League. And why not try out our Acca Boost feature, to play your way and maximise your winnings?
Porto vs Roma: Draw @ 3.26
A tie more than worthy of the Champions League – and the latter stages at that! While their performances on the biggest stage may have lowered in recent years, this has not affected their stature and there will be a lot of attention on this one.
After struggling through the League Phase, Porto and Roma managed to secure passage without too stressful an end to the round, but now things will start to get heated. Due to the immense quality in both teams, we think this first leg will end in a draw.
Ajax to beat Union Saint-Gilloise @ 3.00
Ajax are used to the higher tiers of European competition and need to push for a return there as soon as possible. They are undeniably one of the biggest names remaining in the Europa League and will be the favourites in nearly every game due to their reputation.
Top of the Eredivisie, Ajax will be high on confidence, but USG are not to be taken lightly. A major player in the thrilling Jupiler Pro League title race, USG have consistently risen to the occasion. They will need to apply this industrious attitude to the Europa League after just about creeping into the play-offs. But due to the quality of their side and experience in high-profile games, we are backing Ajax to get the job done.
Real Sociedad to beat FC Midtjylland @ 2.01
After only missing out on automatic qualification by one point, Real Sociedad will not want to make the same mistake in the play-offs and instead aim for a convincing victory when they travel to Denmark to face FC Midtjylland.
In good form in the league, Sociedad will be hoping this can carry over to continental competition. Midtjylland are currently in the midst of a heated title race with FC Copenhagen, sitting joint top and proving their worth domestically. Sociedad, however, are a level above those in the Danish top flight and should come away with a crucial win.
AZ Alkmaar vs Galatasaray: Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.17
Two sides in the play-offs by fine margins, albeit at either end of the scale, with Galatasaray missing out on automatic progression by a point and AZ surviving by one. Nevertheless, this is still a hard tie to call.
With the likes of Victor Osimhen and Alvaro Morata on their books, Gala are a real force to be reckoned with going forward. Similarly, AZ’s star man Troy Parrott will always fancy himself to get on the scoresheet. Combine that with some potential defensive frailties and this one’s set to be a real thriller.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.
