We take a look at three Round of 16 1st leg fixtures scheduled for this Thursday in the Europa League and suggest a bet for each game.
Liverpool remains the favourite to lift the trophy at 17/10 with plenty of punters backing them to lift the trophy. Bayer Leverkusen sits firmly behind them as the second favourite at 33/10, leaving the rest of the field at 12/1 or better.
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SPARTA PRAGUE v LIVERPOOL – Click here to bet
Having progressed to this stage by eliminating Galatasaray in the previous round with a 6-4 aggregate scoreline, Sparta Prague enters this game on the back of a hard-fought 0-0 draw against local rivals Slavia Prague. Despite the recent draw, they have been in prolific goal-scoring form, having found the net 12 times and averaging 2.4 goals per game in their last five appearances. Their recent home form is equally impressive, boasting a five-game unbeaten streak with four wins and one draw, averaging 2 goals per game in all competitions.
SPARTA PRAGUE HOME FORM: DWWWW (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Winning Group E granted the Reds automatic progression to the round of 16. Liverpool faced a resilient Forest outfit over the weekend, securing crucial 3 points in the 99th minute courtesy of Darwin Nunez. This late winner extended their winning streak to six consecutive victories and, more importantly, helped them maintain the top spot in the EPL. All eyes now turn to their upcoming encounter, hoping to continue this winning trend. Despite injuries along the way, Liverpool has been impressive, averaging 2.6 goals in their last five appearances.
LIVERPOOL AWAY FORM: WWWLD (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Head-To-Head
24.02.11 Liverpool 1-0 Sparta Prague
17.02.11 Sparta Prague 0-0 Liverpool
This fixture looks tricky given it has all the ingredients of an entertaining game, but the question is, will we see it? Despite what domestic stats suggest, I have a feeling this will be a lot closer than what many may think. The second leg could prove crucial in determining who progresses further.
Recommended Bet: Double Chance and Total, Draw/Liverpool And Under 3.5 goals at 1/1
SC FREIBURG v WEST HAM – Click here to bet
Freiburg needed home ground advantage to secure progression in this competition, clinching a 3-2 aggregate victory against Lens. Heading into this round, Freiburg showcased their tenacity with an impressive performance over the weekend, holding Bayern Munich to an entertaining 2-2 draw. In their last five appearances, they have drawn three, winning just the one and averaging 1.8 goals per game in the same span.
FREIBURG HOME FORM: DWDLW (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Finishing first in Group A allowed West Ham to automatically qualify for this round. While they advanced with relative ease, the Hammers experienced a sigh of relief with back-to-back wins in the EPL, having endured three consecutive losses prior to that. Their recent 3-1 victory away to Everton this weekend showcases a resurgence of some sort, with West Ham netting 7 goals in their last 2 games.
WEST HAM AWAY FORM: WLLDL (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Head-To-Head
14.12.23 West Ham 2-0 Freiburg
05.10.23 Freiburg 1-2 West Ham
These two met up in the group stages where the Hammers did the double over their German counterparts. While I’m not as bullish backing West Ham on the outright, there does seem to be value in backing them in the draw no bet market, which adds a little bit more security to the selection.
Recommended Bet: Draw No Bet, West Ham at 1/1
BENFICA v RANGERS – Click here to bet
Benfica kept their Europa League aspirations alive after overcoming Toulouse 2-1 on aggregate in the previous round. Form-wise, they return to this competition with a lot of work to do, having suffered back-to-back losses. This weekend’s result was particularly damaging, as they were soundly beaten 5-0 by FC Porto, meaning they have now conceded 7 goals in their last two appearances with just 1 goal to show for their efforts. Home comforts reflect a different story, though, as they have won four consecutive games, scoring 15 and conceding just 2 in the process.
BENFICA HOME FORM: WWWWL (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Rangers qualified automatically for this round having won group C. The Gers enter this fixture on the back of a rare defeat at home over the weekend. The 2-1 loss to Motherwell was their first defeat in twelve games, ending their 10-match winning streak. Despite that hiccup, they carry a very healthy 2.8 goals per game scoring ratio in their last five appearances.
Away from home, they have been just as prolific, winning all five matches and averaging 2.6 goals inside their opponents’ net.
RANGERS AWAY FORM: WWWWW (W-Won, D-Drawn, L-Lost)
Head-To-Head
26.11.20 Rangers 2-2 Benfica
05.11.20 Benfica 3-3 Rangers
Benfica will want to go into the 2nd leg with a decent lead, considering how poorly they have fared on the road in recent times. Despite automatic qualification, Rangers only managed a single victory on the road in the group stages, failing to score just once away from home.
Recommended Bet: Totals And Both Teams To Score, Over 2.5 And Yes at 11/10
Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
