The UEFA Europa League league phase continues on Thursday night, and we take a closer look at two of the matches from a betting angle.
Lyon v Crystal Palace
Lyon made a strong start to their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 away victory over Anderlecht.
The French side took the lead in the eighth minute and doubled their advantage in the 22nd. Anderlecht pulled a goal back after half-time, but Lyon held on to collect all three points.
Lyon’s five-match unbeaten run across all competitions came to an end at the weekend when they suffered a 2-1 league defeat away to Lens.
Crystal Palace enjoyed an even more convincing start to their European campaign, beating Lech Poznan 4-0 at home.
Palace effectively put the contest to bed by taking a 3-0 lead into the break before adding a fourth goal late in the second half.
Their most recent league fixture came in early October, when they recorded a 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest. Palace have produced some impressive performances this season but have struggled for consistency.
Head-to-Head
The sides have met only once before, in a club friendly in 2023. Crystal Palace won that encounter 2-0 at home.
Betting – Click here to bet
Lyon 2.25
Draw 3.65
Crystal Palace 3.00
Verdict
This should be a competitive encounter, but home advantage may prove decisive.
Lyon made a strong start to their Europa League campaign and had been in good form before their weekend defeat at Lens. Palace are dangerous opponents, but their inconsistency makes them difficult to support on the road.
At 2.25, I am backing Lyon to collect all three points.
BET: Lyon to Win at 2.25
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Celta Vigo v Juventus
Celta Vigo travelled to face Omonia in their opening Europa League match and, despite starting as 1.85 favourites, suffered a 1-0 defeat after conceding an 88th-minute winner.
The Spanish side have struggled for form across all competitions, recording only one victory in their last ten matches. Their latest league outing ended in a goalless draw away to Elche.
Juventus had no such problems in their opening European fixture, cruising to a 5-0 home victory over Nijmegen.
The contest was effectively over by half-time, with Juventus already leading 3-0. They added another two goals during the final 15 minutes to complete a comprehensive victory.
Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw away to Cagliari in their most recent league encounter.
Head-to-Head
There is no meaningful recent head-to-head form between the sides.
They last met during the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup, when Juventus won the first leg 1-0 at home before Celta Vigo recorded a remarkable 4-0 victory in Spain.
Those results came more than 26 years ago and have little relevance to Thursday’s encounter.
Betting – Click here to bet
Celta Vigo 3.25
Draw 3.25
Juventus 2.30
Verdict
Juventus are worthy favourites following their emphatic opening victory, while Celta Vigo’s recent form is a concern.
However, Juventus were held away to Cagliari in their latest outing, and Celta should be capable of producing a competitive performance on home soil. I expect the hosts to make life difficult for the Italian side, and the draw looks the most appealing option at 3.25.
BET: Draw at 3.25
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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