Thursday's Top Tips: Brits Out to Make a Great Start in Europe
Things should be rocking at Ibrox as Europa League football returns to the south side of Glasgow tonight.
2021 runners-up Rangers welcome Spaniards Real Betis who made it to the last 16 last season.
Both sides have injuries to contend with and the absence of midfield duo Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin as well as big summer signing Danilo makes Rangers’ task that bit harder.
Michael Beale has already spoken of how dangerous the Real Betis forward line can be but there’s certainly hope for the Gers when you look at Betis’ defence which has seldom played together and shipped five goals at the Nou Camp at the weekend.
Goals is definitely the way to go and Over 2.5 is priced at 10/11.
Brighton make their European bow at home to AEK Athens and it speaks volumes for the form the Robert de Zerbi’s side are in that they’re just 1/5 to win on their debut in the Europa League.
The Seagulls dismantled Man Utd at Old Trafford at the weekend and should get off to a winning start against the Greeks who have drawn two of their opening three league matches.
Backa Topola won’t be a name familiar to many football fans but the Serbians are top of their domestic league, ahead of Partizan Belgrade and Red Star who gave Manchester City a little fright on Tuesday.
Tonight they play Europa Conference holders West Ham but they bookies don’t give them a prayer. David Moyes’ men enjoyed so many glory nights on their run to the final last season and the bookies make them 1/9 to start this season’s campaign with a win.
Elsewhere in the Europa Ajax v Marseille has a Champions League feel to it. The Dutch side fell at the knockout play-off round last season after finishing third in their Champions League group.
They’ve made a slow start in Eredivisie where they’ve picked up just five points in four games and could be vulnerable to the Ligue 1 side who are spreaheaded by veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Unusually, Jose Mourinoh’s side, Roma, are among the top scorers in Serie A. They could be in for a tricky night in Moldova against Sheriff Tiraspol though.
The hosts have scored five in each of their home games so far so we could see some goals, with Over 2.5 at 11/10, despite Mourinho’s tendency to shut up shop away from home in Europe,
In the Conference League the bookies have written off Aberdeen on their trip to Eintracht Frankfurt. The Dons are 20/1 outsiders and based on their form in the SPFL it’s hard to argue with that.
Aston Villa are favourites to lift the trophy under the guidance of Euro expert Unai Emery and are 1/2 to win in Warsaw tonight against Legia.
Goals usually follow Bodo/Glimt and it’s 4/7 for Over 2.5 against Lugano in Switzerland this evening. The hosts’ five games in the Swiss Super League have seen 19 goals scored already.
Fenerbahce have made a perfect start in Turkey and with the likes of Tadic, Dzeko and Batshuayi they’ve lots of firepower to call upon and should be too good at home for Danes, Nordsjaelland.
Super Singles
- Aston Villa & Fenerbahce Double 27/20 Bet365
Over 2.5 Goals Treble
- Rangers v Betis
- Sheriff v Roma
- Lugano v Bodo/Glimt
- Pays 5.3/1 at Bet365
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