This week sees the final Europa League group games take place and several teams face a battle to qualify for the knockout stages. We have analyzed some of the games where one team or both teams have it all to play for:
Zorya vs. Man Utd
Man Utd’s group hangs finely in the balance, with Fenerbache top on 10 points, Utd second on nine and Feyenoord on seven. Utd need a win to guarantee qualification, and manager Jose Mourinho could do with a win to deflect some of the pressure caused by the club’s worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, so he may be tempted to field a relatively strong side against bottom club Zorya, who have taken just two points from five games and lost 1-0 to Man Utd earlier in the season. Man Utd half-time/full-time is 2.05 and that looks a good bet.
Fenerbache vs. Feyenoord
A draw will see Fenerbache through, but Dutch league leaders Feyenoord need a win, and that still might not be good enough if Man Utd win. The draw is 3.40 with Sportingbet, which looks a good option.
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Dundalk
Zenit St Petersburg have run away with this group, with five wins out of five sending them through. They had already qualified in the first place before the last round of fixtures, but that didn’t stop them beating Maccabi Tel Aviv, and their second string may well beat an AZ Alkmaar side that the first team already beat 5-0 in this group. AZ Alkmaar are second on five points, while Dundalk and Maccabi have four points apiece. If Zenit beat Alkmaar, it could come down to a straight fight between Dundalk and Maccabi. Neither are exactly footballing powerhouses and neither represent top leagues, but Maccabi should have the edge here. Dundalk beat them 1-0 in Ireland earlier in the group, but now is Maccabi’s chance to gain revenge and qualify. Maccabi and under 3.5 goals is 2.20 with Bet Stars.
Plzen vs. Austria Vienna
Another big team has run away with this group as Roma are top on 11 points, leaving Astra Giurgiu (seven points) and Austria Vienna (five points to fight it out). Again, Roma’s reserves could well beat Giurgiu, meaning that Vienna would qualify with a win over bottom club Plzen. The teams drew 0-0 in their first game, but there is more at stake for them now, while Plzen have nothing to play for and will want to focus on domestic affairs, so this could be Vienna’s night and odds of 2.70 at Bet365 look tempting.
Panathinaikos vs. Celta Vigo
Ajax have won this group and are already through, while Panathinaikos are bottom with just one point, so it’s a straight fight between Celta Vigo and Standard Liege. The Belgians have had a touch as they play an Ajax side already through, so the Dutch team may rest key players, which leaves the onus on Celta Vigo to gain three points and force the issue. They beat Panathanaikos 2-0 earlier in the group and should repeat the feat here as they are by far the superior side and odds of 2.00 with several green-listed bookmakers look a steal.
Southampton vs. Hapoel Beer Sheva
These two are second and third on seven points apiece and only one can qualify along with leading team Sparta Prague (Inter, remarkably, are the bottom and already out). They drew 0-0 earlier in the season, but Southampton are at home now and are a much better team, so they really should win this, and Southampton half-time/full-time looks good at 2.30.
Villarreal vs. Steaua Bucharest
All four teams can still qualify from this group, but a win from Villarreal should be good to see them through. They drew 1-1 in the previous fixture, but Villarreal now have home advantage and a team that is fifth in La Liga really should be destroying such opposition. Villarreal and under 3.5 goals is 2.10 with Bet Stars.
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