The Europa League is back, and the ‘best of the rest’ from across the top leagues on the continent will fight for a chance to lift the famous trophy. Defending champions Atalanta, who defeated Bayer Leverkusen in last season's thrilling final, have graduated to the UEFA Champions League this year, which means there could be a different name on the trophy next June. Stick around for expert betting tips and bet builder selections to help you start the Europa League with a bang!
● **_Total Odds: 598.62_** ● **_Booking Code: A9QXC_** ● **_Acca Bonus: ₦89,793.60_**
**Manchester United vs Twente** Manchester United have had an inconsistent start to the season, but a three-match unbeaten run since the international break (W2, D1), along with three clean sheets, could be the start of something new. The Red Devils were frustrated by a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace last weekend, despite having over 20 shots on goal, but one positive for Ten Hag is that his men are creating chances more frequently than they did last season. Additionally, their home record in this competition (W18, L1, D5) makes them strong favorites to start with a win. Twente, meanwhile, are making their first appearance in a UEFA competition since 2013 and have been handed a difficult start with a trip to Old Trafford. Their record against English teams is underwhelming: a 1-0 win over Fulham in 2011 is their only victory to date in 13 attempts (D5, L7). It is safe to say the odds are firmly stacked against them here. Joseph Oosting's men have had a fine start to their domestic campaign (W3, D2, L1) and will be eager to shine under the bright Old Trafford lights. **Full time prediction: Manchester United thrashed Barnsley 7-0 before the draw against Palace and have looked great going forward this season. The smart bet prediction for this could be a big win for the hosts.**
**Nice vs Real Sociedad** Nice began the new season with just one win from their first four games, but a resounding 8-0 victory over Saint-Etienne on Friday night should fill them with confidence heading into the UEFA Europa League. That thrashing marked only the third time in club history that Nice have won a French top-flight match by an 8+ goal margin. Their focus must now swiftly shift to plotting a route through to the knockout stage of Europe's second-tier tournament for the first time since 2017/18. Their opening fixture pits them against Real Sociedad—a side they have never faced in a competitive game before—and marks their first meeting with Spanish opposition in European competition since September 1976. Sociedad have been struggling this season, managing only a 0-0 draw against Valladolid at the weekend to extend their dismal run of form to just one win from seven games this season (D3, L3). They have now failed to score in their last 3 away games and will be desperate to turn things around here. Little wonder Martin Zubimendi has been rumored to regret turning down a summer transfer move to Liverpool! **Full time prediction: After destroying Saint-Etienne at the weekend, we are backing Nice to get their Europa League campaign off to a winning start.**
**Ajax vs Besiktas** Ajax have started the season slowly, with just one win in four Eredivisie games (W1, D1, L2), and after the 1-1 draw against Go Ahead Eagles at the weekend, they now trail league leaders PSV by nine points, albeit with two games in hand. The Europa League provides a welcome distraction for Francesco Farioli’s men, especially as they open their campaign against Besiktas, a side they have beaten in all six previous meetings. Despite their struggles on the domestic front, Ajax boast an impressive home record in the competition, with just two defeats in their last 20 UEL home games (W13, D5), and they will fancy their chances here. Beşiktaş, meanwhile, are enjoying an unbeaten start to the Turkish top-flight campaign (W4, D1). Bolstered by a 93rd-minute winner against Eyupspor at the weekend, they should feel confident of avoiding defeat here. However, their last appearance in European competition in 2020 was disastrous, with the Turkish side finishing bottom of their group. They will aim for a better campaign this time around. **Full time prediction: Ajax have historically bossed this fixture and are formidable at the Amsterdam Arena.** **The smart bet prediction for our online betting community is for the hosts to win but we don’t trust them to keep a clean sheet**
**AS Roma vs Athletic Bilbao** Roma's decision to sack Daniele De Rossi and replace him with Ivan Juric produced the desired impact, as the new boss made a dream start with a crucial 3-0 victory over Udinese on Sunday. That win was Roma's first of the season (W1, D3, L1), and they will now shift their focus to the Europa League, where they face a tricky test against LaLiga side Athletic Bilbao at the Stadio Olimpico. The Giallorossi have consistently performed well on the continent, reaching two finals in the last 3 years and their recent European pedigree should provide a significant boost. Athletic Bilbao are finally back in European competition for the first time since 2018, when they were eliminated in the Europa League round of 16. They come into this clash riding a 5-game unbeaten streak (W4), after an inconsistent start to the season (W1, D1, L1). Although the Spaniards have historically struggled on their travels to Italy (W1, D3, L5), their recent record of four victories in their last six competitive away games should fill them with confidence ahead of their trip to Rome. **Full time prediction: This is a tough one to call as Roma are only just starting to fire after a tough start to the season.** **Bilbao are currently the better team, but the best value could be in the goals market as we expect both teams to score.**
**Lyon vs Olympiacos** Lyon are back in European competition after a two-year absence, thanks to their sixth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season. However, they have endured a disappointing start to the season (W1, D1, L3), including a heart-breaking 3-2 defeat to rivals Marseille on Sunday. Manager Pierre Sage will hope that the visit of 47-time Greek champions Olympiacos can be a turning point, given Lyon's favorable head-to-head record (W4, L2) against the Greek giants. Olympiacos made history last season by becoming the first Greek side to lift a continental trophy, the Europa Conference League. Although they dropped down from the Europa League group stage en route to that triumph, this season's format demands a top 24 league finish to progress. Domestically, Olympiacos began with three consecutive wins, but their form has since dipped, collecting just one point from their last two games (D1, L1). However, Manager Jose Luis Mendilibar knows what it takes to succeed on the continent and will be confident of opening their European campaign on a positive note. **Full time prediction: This game has goals written all over it and the ‘both teams to score’ option has landed in all 3 of their previous meetings.**
**Fenerbahce vs Royal Union SG** Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce are eager to bounce back from a demoralizing 3-1 home defeat to arch-rivals Galatasaray last weekend. Prior to that defeat, the hosts had been in impressive form, losing just one of their last 14 games (W10, D3). They should be confident of returning to winning ways, especially given their unbeaten record against Belgian opposition in this competition (W2, D2). Royale Union travel to Turkey in dire need of a turnaround, having failed to win since August (D3, L1). New manager Sebastien Pocognoli is facing growing pressure after just three months in the job, and after watching his side score just one goal in their last six games, there is clearly a lot of work to be done. Their recent Europa League away record is also concerning, with zero wins in their last away matches (D2, L3), and this trend suggests they could be in for a long night. **Full time prediction: Fenerbahce should have enough to bounce back with a win here. Our bet of the day is a comfortable win for Mourinho’s men.**
**Tottenham vs Qarabag** Tottenham Hotspur return to continental football with high expectations, seeking their first major trophy since 2008. Manager Ange Postecoglou is on record for his comments about winning things in his second season and he will be under pressure to deliver a trophy after a summer of significant investment. Spurs host Qarabag, riding a 13-match unbeaten home record (W11, D2) in UEFA competitions since 2020/21 and after their 3-1 win over Brentford at the weekend, they come into this one as heavy favourites. Qarabag, meanwhile, come into this game full of confidence, after defeating Neftci 4-0 at the weekend to make it three straight wins in the league. The Azerbaijan Premier League champions, have strong Europa League pedigree (nine group stage appearances since 2014). They made it to the Round of 16 last time out, and coach Qurban Qurbanov has over 100 UEFA games under his belt. He will be keenly aware of the task at hand. **Full time prediction: These two sides have met twice in the past with Spurs winning both games (1-0, 3-1) and we expect a similar outcome in this one.** **The Europa League could be the only way for Spurs to get into the Champions League and we believe Postecoglou will take this as serious as possible.**
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