The Europa League returns for the final round of group games this Thursday with several mouthwatering fixtures that present punters with the opportunity to cash out on BetKing’s boosted high odds across all types of bets. Royal Union SG has everything to play for to qualify when they welcome already-qualified group leaders Liverpool. Elsewhere, Ajax and AEK Athens will go head-to-head for the 3rd spot and a place in the Conference League playoff with neither side able to qualify for the next round of the Europa League. In Group A, the battle for the top spot will see West Ham host Freiburg, while a similar battle unfolds in Group F where Rennes hosts Villarreal. Over in Portugal, Sturm Graz have a difficult task away at Sporting CP, who can still qualify as group leaders. In England, Brighton will host Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Amex Stadium in a top-of-the-table clash. And as always, Nigeria’s No.1 online sports betting platform is here to provide you the best odds and free professional betting tips to set you nicely for an exciting weekend.
**Royale Union SG vs Liverpool** Royale Union SG are currently placed third and three points behind French side, Toulouse. Heading into this game, Alexander Blessin’s side must win against Liverpool and hope that LASK Linz beat Toulouse in the other group game to progress to the knockout stages. However, Liverpool, who have already qualified and have a big game against Manchester United on Sunday in the Premier League, will most likely field a weaker squad as they will finish top of the group irrespective of the final result due to their 4 points advantage at the top. The first leg between these two sides ended in a 2-0 win for Liverpool but since then, Royale Union SG has only lost once in 13 competitive games, securing 10 wins and 2 draws, scoring 24 goals in the process. They are also yet to lose a home in the Europa League this season. An outright win for Liverpool may be too much risk considering that are expected to field a weaker team. That being said, Jurgen Klopp’s men are expected to score against their hosts who are also expected to score because they need to win to advance to the knockout phase. Thus, the goal market is the focus in this tie. Predictions
**Ajax vs AEK Athens** Ajax hosts AEK Athens at the Johan Cruyff Arena for their final Group B fixture in the Europa League. However, both teams find themselves with only a conference league playoff spot on the line. Heading into this tie, the Dutch side aims to earn a spot in the Conference league playoffs, although first they must defeat AEK Athens who are just two points ahead of them. The Greek visitors will aim to avoid defeat away in Netherlands to maintain the 3rd spot and nick the Conference league playoffs spot ahead of Ajax. Seeking their first win as they head into match day six of the Europa League, Ajax will hope to continue their newfound good form and take advantage of the fact that they’re playing in front of their home fans. As for AEK Athens, they have had an unstable season in Europe this campaign and in their most recent domestic games. The visitors have won just one game from five matches in their Europa league group, losing thrice. On the local scene as well, their performance has been marred with inconsistencies following 3 wins in the last 6 games. This will be a close one, but we think Ajax just shades this one to pick up the Conference league playoff spot in Group B. “Over 1.5 goals” is also a possibility here. Predictions
**West Ham vs Freiburg** West Ham United will host Freiburg at the London Stadium in their final UEFA Europa League group-stage match on Thursday. Both teams have won four games each and as a result, are tied on 12 points apiece, with guaranteed top-two finishes. A draw for West Ham would secure them the top spot in the group, courtesy of a better head-to-head record having won the reverse fixture. Freiburg, on the other hand, can only claim the top position with a win. Heading into this clash, West Ham suffered a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham in the Premier League, making it their first loss in eight games while Freiburg secured a narrow 1-0 win in the Bundesliga against Wolfsburg on Saturday. The visitors have enjoyed an unbeaten run after the international break, conceding just once in four games. They have lost just once in six European away games this season and boast the best offence in the competition with 17 goals scored in 5 games. However, West Ham have won their last nine home games in European competitions and are strong favourites. With a tie this finely balanced, the goals market is where we think you will find the best bet as both teams are expected to cancel each other out in our bet of the day. Predictions
**Rennes vs Villareal ** Rennes will host Villarreal at Roazhon Park in their final UEFA Europa League group-stage match on Thursday and will only need to avoid a loss to secure their position as group winners and advance to the Round of 16. On the other hand, Villarreal sits in second place with 10 points. While they are both guaranteed a place in the knockout round playoffs, a victory will enable any of them to secure a direct spot in the Round of 16. This encounter marks only the second meeting between the two teams. Villarreal emerged victorious in the reverse fixture with a 1-0 win at home in October. While Rennes boasts the second-best defensive record in the Europa League this season, conceding only three times in five games, Villarreal has shipped in five goals in as many matches. In recent fixtures, Rennes has experienced back-to-back defeats, conceded four goals, and scored just once. Despite this setback, manager Julien Stephan is fortunate to have a fully fit squad at his disposal. On the flip side, Villarreal has encountered a recent dip in form, going winless in three games and failing to score in two of those matches. However, they maintain a strong record on their Europa League travels, suffering only one loss in nine games. This is expected to be a low scoring game especially considering the form of these two sides. Bet prediction
**Sporting CP vs Sturm Graz** Sturm Graz faces a crucial away match against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, aiming to secure third place in Group D of the Europa League. Sporting, currently second in the group, has already secured a spot in the next round. Despite being unable to finish higher than second, they can match leaders Atalanta on points, but the Serie A side holds the head-to-head advantage. Due to this, Ruben Amorim might decide to rotate his squad, giving the away team a chance to win this one and qualify for the UEFA Conference League ahead of fourth-placed Rakow Czestochowa. Predictions
**Brighton vs Marseille** Brighton and Marseille have already secured spots in the Europa League knockout stages but the battle for top spot is still very much on. Brighton is just one point behind their Ligue 1 opponents, and only a victory will do today. However, Marseille, having drawn 2-2 at home with Brighton, can secure group victory with another draw and will most likely look to do just that. Despite the home advantage, we think Marseille have just enough to come away from this one with a favourable result. You can also bet on the goals market - both teams have scored (and conceded) consistently in recent games and as such, we back a “both teams to score” market here. Prediction
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