The UEFA Europa League quarterfinals stage takes centre stage on Thursday night with crucial second-leg encounters as teams look to book their spot in the semifinals. We take a closer look at two of the standout clashes from a betting angle.
Outright Betting Snapshot
In the outright market, Aston Villa continue to lead the way at around 2.20, followed by Nottingham Forest at 6.00. Real Betis remain outsiders at 6.50 while SC Freiburg are priced at 7.00 and the balance are bigger for the title.
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Aston Villa vs Bologna – Click here to bet
First Leg Recap
Aston Villa produced an impressive away performance in Italy, securing a 3-1 victory over Bologna in the first leg. That result places the English side firmly in control heading into the return leg at home.
Aston Villa have shown mixed form in recent domestic outings but remain highly effective in European competition. They played out a 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest in their latest match and had earlier dispatched Bologna on the road. Prior to that they recorded a solid 2-0 victory over West Ham, although they were edged 2-1 by Elche and fell short in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United.
Bologna come into this clash with relatively strong domestic momentum despite the first-leg setback. They secured a 2-0 home win over Lecce in their most recent outing after edging Cremonese 2-1 away from home. Before that they were beaten 2-0 by Lazio but had enjoyed a productive run including a 4-3 victory over Roma and a 1-0 success against Sassuolo.
Head-to-Head
Aston Villa have dominated this fixture, winning all three meetings between the sides including the 3-1 success in the first leg and earlier victories of 1-0 and 2-0 in previous encounters.
Match Odds (1X2)
Aston Villa: 1.63
Draw: 4.25
Bologna: 5.25
Verdict
Aston Villa hold a commanding advantage and return to a home environment where they have been difficult to contain in European action. Bologna will be forced to chase the game which could create spaces for Villa to exploit once again. Based on the first-leg display and overall quality, the hosts look set to complete the job comfortably.
BET: Aston Villa to Win and Over 1.5 Goals at 1.95
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Nottingham Forest vs FC Porto – Click here to bet
First Leg Recap
The first leg ended all square after a 1-1 draw in Portugal, leaving the tie finely balanced heading into the decisive second leg in England.
Nottingham Forest arrive with mixed but competitive form. They played out a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in their latest match and previously secured an impressive 3-0 away victory over Tottenham. Earlier results include a 0-0 stalemate with Fulham and a 3-1 win away against Midtjylland, although they did suffer defeats to Brighton and Liverpool during that stretch.
FC Porto come into this encounter in strong overall form. They recorded a convincing 3-1 away win over Estoril in their latest trip to the pitch after sharing a 2-2 draw with Famalicao. Prior to that they edged Braga 2-1 and had been on a productive run that included a 3-0 victory over Moreirense and a 2-0 win against Stuttgart in European action.
Head-to-Head
Nottingham Forest have a slight edge in this matchup, having won once and drawn once against Porto, including the 1-1 result in the first leg and a 2-0 home victory earlier in the campaign.
Match Odds (1X2)
Nottingham Forest: 2.30
Draw: 3.25
FC Porto: 3.40
Verdict
This tie remains evenly poised, but Nottingham Forest will take confidence from their home advantage and previous success against Porto. However, the Portuguese side arrive in strong overall form and possess the attacking quality to trouble the hosts. This could develop into a tightly contested encounter with limited margin for error but once the 1st goal goes in it should really open up.
BET: Both Teams to Score – Yes at 1.98
Odds correct at time of writing but subject to change.
