EUROPE: Europa League - Group Stage Prediction

Liverpool - Anzhi 2.30 - 3.30

Quite a game to look forward to. Anzhi are topping the Russian league after a most impressive campaign and can Liverpool afford to face Anzhi with their alternative side used this far in Europe? Yes, I think they will. Liverpool will face Everton in a few days time and no way that coach Rodgers will send out his best players tomorrow. Anzhi miss the injured L Diarra. Backing Eto’o and his Anzhi.

Young Boys - Udinese 2.63 - 2.76

Time for a win for the home side, or they have they already given up on success in Europe? Suffice to say that they have started poorly losing both their group games. 3-5 at home to the Liverpool youngsters/reserves was not the best of starts for the Swiss. Spycher and J Simpson are on their injury list. Their main danger man is Bobadilla.
The same Liverpool, a bit better at least on paper, were given a lesson at home to Udinese, with the Italians winning the match 3-2. The big Swede Ranegie will probably start upfront for Udinese probably supported by Lazzari and Fabbrini, meaning that Di Natale will not play from the start. Pinzi, Pasquale, Basta and Muriel are on their injury list. So could be that Udinese will start with a weaker line up than against Liverpool, but they have travelled with a very strong squad. Away win is more appealing to this writer.

Atletico Madrid - Academica 1.25 - 17.00

I take it for granted that Atletico will continue fielding a mixed side in Europe and I also take it almost for granted that they will be strong to win against this mediocre Portugese side. Yes, half a dozen A Madrid regulars, including Falcao will not be involved in this game. Should Academica defend for their lives maybe they can reach a draw against a rather unmotivated home side, but I do not think so.

Hapoel Tel Aviv - Victoria Plzen 2.95 - 2.50

My choice will be the away win. Plzen lost to a last minute goal away to A Madrid, while Hapoel went down 0-3 against A Madrid in Israel. In both these games A Madrid featured an alternative side. I do not expect an easy ride for Plzen in this match, but I quite often find myself backing this rather good Czech side and they rarely have let me down. They are a good side in with a chance in most games and this 2.50 is a decent price on the away win.

Borussia Mönchengladbach - Marseille 2.40 - 3.28

No doubt, Borussia are in a middle of a rather big crisis. The way they went down to Werder Bremen at the weekend (0-4) after some recent poor results certainly gives evidence of some kind of crisis.
Marseille I watched the other night. They lost to last placed Troyes and Marseille looked surprisingly devoid of ideas. There was no speed to their game, they lacked the necessary intensity and commitment and this surprised me. OK, maybe they did not deserve to lose, but I do not know, Troyes hit the wood work before their winning goal. Gignac is out injured for Marseille.
Struggling home team against a Marseille side on their way down in form. And the outcome? My choice will be the home win.

AEL Limassol - Fenerbahce 4.23 - 2.10

The home side seems to be in a mess and the away win is worth backing.
AEL, after a poor campaign, have just sacked their coach and a new one, a Portugese, is on his way of joining the club. Success in Europe is probably not first on his agenda and it will be difficult after their opening two group games.
Fenerbahce have a quite strong squad. They should do better, although their 4-2 away win against Borussia Möchengladbach was a great result. Important Raul Meireles will miss tomorrow’s match. Backing the away win.

Newcastle - Club Brugge 1.70 - 5.98

Will Newcastle send out a very strong side again? As I just pointed out their starting line up against Bordeaux was much stronger than I had expected. It looks like they will field a side as strong as against Bordeaux and then they should be able to defeat this Brugge side, a side playing with a much weakened defensive line at the moment. Very likely home winner.

Maritimo - Bordeaux 3.06 - 2.63

This Portugese side did not impress in their previous home game in this group. They were second best to the Newcastle reserves, but managed to draw the match 0-0. Bordeaux have shown us two faces this far. Superior at home to a weakened C Brugge side, but then more or less outclassed by a Newcastle side, a Newcastle side in much better shape than against Maritimo.
Bordeaux will be able to call on Henrique and Tremoulinas again for this match. They were suspended in the league. Missing will be Sane and Diabate. X2 game.

Steaua Bukarest - Molde 1.67 - 6.00

Molde were leading 1-0 away to Strömsgodset with only minutes to go at the weekend. Unfortunately for Molde the league leaders managed a late equaliser. Still the race is very much on and could be that their European campaign will suffer a bit. Once again I have to report that Molde will face Rosenborg in a few days and this Europa League fixture could be a bit overlooked by Solskjaer and his team. Not that Solskjaer accepts losing any football games.
Steaua have impressed and they will get my vote in this match, but the odds have been lowered too much these last few days.

Stuttgart - FC Copenhagen 1.62 - 6.02

Stuttgart definitely over their recent mini crisis, at least domestically. At the weekend they won deservedly away to Hamburg. Winless in Europe they need to win this match and they are very much aware of this. Defence man A Boka is out injured.
Copenhagen are enjoying a steady season. No real dips and no real heights this far and they will most likely go on to winning the Danish league title. They do not have the quality to match a Stuttgart side in form and that is the key issue here. I had no problems opposing Stuttgart away to Molde, but I have a distinct feeling that we are about to se a much better Stuttgart side in this match. The odds on the home win, however, are a joke.

P S V - A I K 1.21 - 15.46

Very much involved in the Swedish title race I do not think that AIK will take too many risks in Europe, now that they have lost their two group games. Definitely the home win.

Dnipro - Napoli 2.20 - 3.75

One thing is sure. Napoli have to play with a much stronger squad tomorrow than against PSV in their last group game, or they will have no chance against this rather strong Ukrainian side. I watched them away to Swedish AIK and Dnipro are strong and usually much better in their home fixtures.
Napoli have travelled with a strong squad basically only missing Hamsik and Maggio, but there is no guarantee that all their first choices will play from the start. I am closer to backing the home win.

Videoton - Basel 3.12 - 2.45

What I have seen this far this fixture is about coming second in this group after Genk. Basel, with their experienced squad on this European level, are favourites to advance to the play offs, but I would not bet on it. M Yakin, former Swiss international, is the new Basel coach. His first game in charge ended in defeat against Luzern 0-1. A Frei and Streller played upfront as usual and F Frei also played of course. Yakin is most eager to win tomorrow’s match to get his new career going
Videoton have offered some strong home displays winning comfortably against both Trabzonspor and Sporting Lisbon, but they are struggling in their domestic league, on seventh position. They lost to a Budapest team last week. Basel should be the stronger side, but I am not all convinced.

Genk - Sporting Lisbon 2.70 - 2.75

Backing the home win and surprisingly good odds. Genk are in quite good form and they seem to have a serious interest in the Europa League. Simaeys, Hyland, Joneleit and Kennedy remain on the sidelines.
Sporting are struggling big time and I am talking about their overall contributions this season. They do not seem to care about playing in Europe and they are close to the relegation zone in the Portugese league. At the weekend they lost again, this time to lowly Moreierense. Out injured are Carrico and Pereirinha. Genk to win.

Rubin Kazan - Neftchi 1.29 - 14.64

I will not say more about this fixture than about Rubin’s last home game, vs. Partizan. The Russians must be expected to defeat their Asian neighbours from Azerbaijan and then you do what you like with this 1.29 on the home win. Not for me.

Inter - Partizan Belgrade 1.36 - 10.35

It certainly looks like Inter are treating the Europa League with some respect. Their starting eleven away to Neftchi (3-1 win) was quite impressive. Players like Alvarez, Coutinho and Livaja will start tomorrow and Silvestre and Nagatomo will be back in their defence. I only miss Sneijder and Stankovic in their 21 man squad. Trusting Inter in these kinds of European games is out of the question for me, but I have no intention of making a case for Partizan either.

Sparta Prague - Hapoel KS 1.57 - 7.12

Home winner! Sparta had no problems defeating Atletic in their last home game prolonging their excellent results in their European home fixtures. Sorry, I have nothing really to say about this Israeli side, but sure enough Sparta will be the winners.

Lyon - Atletic Bilbao 1.94 - 4.50

You cannot do more than win your matches and that is what Lyon have achieved this far in Europe. They have not at all performed at their highest level, or there is no high level to talk about for Lyon this season.
A Bilbao are slowly getting better, but their results are certainly nothing to brag about. Still their latest domestic displays indicate a certain improvement , but so far we have not seen this in Europe. Bielsa has taken 20 players with him to France and only Inigo Perez is out injured at the moment.
I expect both these rather big sides to wake up tomorrow. I mean, Lyon are usually playing in the Champions League and Atletic Club played in the Europa league final last season.
Both teams on the score sheet, an over game in other words, but which side will win the match? I rest my case.

Panathinaikos - Lazio 3.20 - 2.40

Although Panathinaikos have been struggling this season they demonstrated good morale and some improved football at home to Tottenham. They were down 0-1 and looked out of the match, but picked themselves up and reached a deserved 1-1 draw.
Lazio have travelled with a strong squad to Greece, but which players will actually start the match? Remains to be seen. Lazio have a tricky away game against Fiorentina in the league in a few days time. Lazio will definitely be without their keeper Marchetti, Lulic and Ederson, but Radu will make his come back in this game. At most a draw is within reach for Lazio, at least in my opinion. 1X game.

Maribor - Tottenham 5.50 - 1.73

I am not saying that Maribor will be the winners here, but the home win looks overpriced. Maribor are as strong as Panathinaikos and what I know Tottenham could not defeat the Greeks a few weeks ago (1-1). Panathinaikos are a bigger club than Maribor, but we must not forget that Maribor were 3-0 winners at home to Panathinaikos. No Vidovic for Maribor.
Could be that G Bale, who did not play for Tottenham at the weekend, will play for Spurs in this game and that is not good news for Maribor. Something on the home win.

Rosenborg - Metalist Kharkiv 3.00 - 2.45

It is a battle on two fronts for Rosenborg. They are very much involved in the Norwegian title race, but they also want to succeed in Europe. Top priority? Winning the league, no doubt. They are injury free at the moment, but I do not think that they will be playing with their best side in this game. Why? They will face Molde this weekend, biggest game of the season for Rosenborg. Latest training session, however, indicates that Rosenborg will send out their strongest eleven tomorrow
This great Metalist side managed an impressive win in the Ukrainian league in their last league game defeating D Kiev away from home 3-1. Taison, Torres and Xavier were their scorers. No Russian names, but it is well known fact that South Americans are dominating their squad. It will be cold tomorrow, not a pleasant climate for South Americans, but I guess that they are used to freezing conditions. They are playing in Ukraine after all. I prefer the away win alternative.

Rapid Wien - Bayer Leverkusen 5.36 - 1.80

Two losses in this group for Rapid and how motivated will they be tomorrow, especially after their derby loss against Austria Wien at the weekend. Losing their previous home game in this group against Rosenborg was a hammer blow, while their loss vs. Metalist was nothing to moan about.
Bayer are a class act and they will most likely do enough to win this match. This they managed away to Rosenborg, with their winning goal coming late but deserved. Both their midfielders S Reinartz and S Sam are out of this match and they have travelled to Austria with only fifteen players. Likely away win.

Helsingborg - Hannover 4.31 - 1.95

Decent side this Swedish Helsingborg team. They could not hold on to their 2-0 lead at home to Twente, but they have the capacity to defeat teams like Hannover and Twente. Not when these respected European sides are playing their best football, but on days when they are slightly off key. Accam and Sörum, the Helsinborg forwards, started on the bench at the weekend. The Helsingborg squad is quite fit at the moment.
Hannover, down to ten men, found a way of defeating Levante in their last group game and I accept them as rather big favourites in this match. Tomorrow they will miss their two defenders Haggui and Felipe. Chr. Schulz could start. Hannover backable as 1.95 favourites? No, I do not think so.

Levante - Twente 2.40 - 3.23

Mission accomplished this weekend for Levante. That is what I think after their important late win against Getafe at the weekend. It was a terrible game of football, I must say. I have my doubts about their overall interest in the Europa League. They were pure lucky defeating Helsingborg in their previous home game and their Europa league side, 11 vs. 10 on the pitch, could not hold on to their 1-0 lead against Hannover. I said Europa League side, because they like to change things around for their European fixtures. O Martins will not play and D Navarro and Dudka will not feature either. There could be more changes.
Twente demonstrated will and morale when they fought back from 0-2 down away to Helsingborg. Chadli, their winger, ran the show. I just checked their squad and they have travelled with their best players. I prefer the away win.