Europa League league Matchday 1 Predictions

The UEFA Europa League is back for the 55th season of Europe’s secondary club football tournament, with thirty-six teams from across Europe battling it out with a dream of reaching the final in Istanbul.

@Footy_Tipster gives his best predictions ahead of this round of fixtures in the UEFA Europa League..

The UEFA Europa League returns this week with clubs from across Europa looking to get their campaign off to the perfect start, as the journey to Istanbul begins here for two sides.

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This week, we focus on sides from England and Scotland, with Nottingham Forest getting their European campaign underway for the first time in thirty-years when they travel to Real Betis, whilst Celtic travel to Serbia to face Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, the action continues with Aston Villa looking to get their first win of the season in all competitions, they welcome Italian side Bologna to Villa Park, whilst struggling Rangers welcome Belgian side Genk to Ibrox.

Now, let’s take a closer look at some Europa League odds and betting angles for Matchday one fixtures:

Real Betis v Nottingham Forest – Wednesday, 8pm

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• This is the fifth consecutive European competition for Real Betis and they’ll be hoping to go one step further in this campaign, having lost in the UEFA Conference League final last season against Chelsea.
• Manuel Pellegrini’s side have lost just one of their first six La Liga games so far (W2, D3, L1) and head into this fixture off the back of an impressive 3-1 victory against Real Sociedad on Friday evening, whilst winning eleven of their last 18 European home games puts them in good stead for this one.
• We could be in for goals here at the Estadio de La Cartuja as seventeen of the last eighteen Betis games have seen both teams on the scoresheet, whilst they’ve lost seven of their last nine European games against English opposition, i’m sure that will be music to Ange Postecoglou’s ears.
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• European Cup winners back in 1979 and 1980, Nottingham Forest return to European football for the first time in thirty years and they do it with Ange Postecoglou in charge, the man that took Tottenham Hotspur all the way in this competition last season.
• Big Ange is still looking for his first victory in charge of the Tricky Trees and he’ll feel that should have come on Saturday afternoon, after looking the better side against Burnley in the Premier League but could only manage a point in Lancashire. 
• Nottingham Forest have struggled so far this season but i’m going to go against the odds in this one and back the Premier League side to pick up three points in an entertaining encounter, with goals for either side.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score & Nottingham Forest To Win, Real Betis 1-2 Nottingham Forest

Crvena zvezda v Celtic – Wednesday, 8pm

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• Red Star Belgrade will now have to settle for UEFA Europa League football this season after suffering defeat to Cypriot side Pafos in the Champions League qualifying stage, since then the The Stadion Rajko Mitic is a really tough place to visit and that’s credit to this Red Star side, they’ve lost just two of their last thirteen UEFA Europa League fixtures here (W8, D3), they lost just two of their last twenty-one games here in all competitions.
• We could also see goals in Belgrade, they’ve seen ten of their last eleven games produce both teams to score, whilst the same outcome has occurred in each of their last seven European home games.
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• Celtic also have to settle for UEFA Europa League football this season after being on the end of one of the biggest shocks in the UCL this season, losing out to Kairat Almaty on penalties in the qualifiers, they’ll be looking to go deep into this campaign.
• The Hoops will be hoping to pick up their first win in Serbia having failed in their three previous visits here, although it’s worth noting they’ve also beaten Serbian sides three times before, albeit in Glasgow.
• With their last six Europa League away games seeing both teams find the back of the net, i’m going to back goals again this one and i’ll edge towards Red Star to use their home advantage and take all three points in their curtain raiser.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score & Red Star Belgrade To Win, Red Star Belgrade 2-1 Celtic

Aston Villa v Bologna – Thursday, 8pm

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• Aston Villa have started their season well below their usual standards in all competitions, with the Villans still looking for a win but that wait could well come to an end on Thursday evening, with the most successful manager in UEFA Europa League history returning to his favourite competition.
• Unai Emery labelled his side as “lazy” following their 1-1 draw away to Sunderland on Sunday and he’s right, his side failed to pick up a victory against the newly-promoted side despite having a man advantage for the majority of the game.
• None of Aston Villa’s last four home games seen both teams on the scoresheet, whilst they were unbeaten in all six of their European games here last season, keeping four clean sheets in their six outings as well, including against Bologna back in October, we could see more of the same here.
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• Bologna travel to Villa Park for the second time in eleven months having faced each other in the UEFA Champions League last season, they suffered an early exit in the UCL league phase and the Italian side will be hoping this competition would suit them better.
• Vincenzo Italiano’s side have an even record in their campaign so far (W2, L2) but both defeats have come on the road so this will be a tough trip to the Midlands for Bologna, especially as they’ve not won any of their last six competitive away trips.
• I don’t think we’ll many goals here at Villa Park with both sides seeing just one of their league games so far producing three or more goals, i think it’ll be a tight affair but Aston Villa should get their first win of the season.

Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals, Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna

Rangers v Genk – Thursday, 8pm

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• It’s been a terrible start for Rangers and Russell Martin, the Gers lost out on UEFA Champions League football after suffering a humiliating 9-1 defeat over two legs against Belgian side Club Brugge.
• Rangers are yet to win in the Scottish Premiership which is unheard of after the first five games, they do head into this one off the back of a 2-0 victory against Hibernian in the cup on Saturday but after a protest from some supporters, this one could also have a frosty feel to it.
• With just three wins from his first twelve games in charge, Russell Martin is a man under huge pressure and another defeat in this one could seal his fate, especially on home soil.
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• Like their opponents, Genk have also made a slow start to their campaign picking up just two wins from their first eight games in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, leaving Thorsten Fink’s side just two places from the bottom of the table.
• De Smurfen have seen both teams score in eight of their last nine games in all competitions suggesting we could be for more goals here in Glasgow, whilst they’ve only played once before in Scotland and that didn’t go well, suffering a 5-0 defeat away to Dundee United back in 1981.
• Focusing on the present, this feels like a big game for both managers really and in particular for the Rangers boss, once again i think we’ll see these two sides on the scoresheet but i’m going to back the Gers to keep this momentum going following their recent victory in the League Cup.

Prediction: Rangers To Win & Over 2.5 Goals, Rangers 2-1 Genk

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UEFA Europa League Predictions:

• Premier League teams in European competitions