The first round of the UEFA Europa League group stage kicks off this week with a packed schedule and exciting matches all around. Last season’s Ligue 1 fourth placer cross the Mediterranean, while the Italian Serie A takes on the English Premier League in this midweek skirmish.
Apollon Limassol would be the host squad in this encounter opposite Olympique Lyonnais. Meanwhile, Everton will be booking a flight to Italy to take on Atalanta. Both matches kick off at 7 pm CET.
APOLLON LIMASSOL vs. OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS
3-Way: 1: Apollon Limassol +575; X: +337 Draw; 2: Olympique Lyonnais -149
Spread +1: Apollon Limassol -111; Olympique Lyonnais +106
Total +2.5: Over -105; Under +100
APOLLON LIMASSOL
Apollon Limassol went through the proverbial eye of the needle before reaching the group stage of the UEL. They defeated FC Zaria Balti in the second qualifying round with an aggregate of 5:1. They then proceeded to upend Aberdeen FC with two goals in the return leg at home for a 3:2 aggregate. Finally, they held off FC Midtjylland in the playoff to make it to the group stage. They are unbeaten in seven European home games (W5 D2), a run where they have scored 18 goals.
Although Apollon has competed in back-to-back UEFA Europa League group stages in 2013-15, they have yet to make it to the round of 32. In their only past match with a French side, they unexpectedly got the better of Nice in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League play-off, winning 2:0 at home and holding on to progress despite a 0:1 loss in France.
The Kianolefki finished third in Cyprus last term and beat APOEL in the domestic cup final. They drew with Olympiakos, 1:1, on September 9, giving them a form of DDWWL, all but one coming from results in earlier round fixtures at the UEFA Europa League. CB Valentin Roberge is a French national who has played for Reims and Sunderland.
OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS
Semifinalists last season, losing out to Ajax that transferred from the UEFA Champions League group stage, Olympique Lyonnais have won their last four UEFA Europa League home matches. However, they have lost their last three UEFA away fixtures as well.
This is the first time the two sides will face each other, but Lyon has been to the Pancyprian Gymnastic Association Stadium before. On March 7, 2012, they lost to APOEL via penalties in the round of 16 of the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League that was held in the national stadium situated in Nicosia.
Playing in a league with a high coefficient ranking granted the French club direct passage to the group stage of this tournament after finishing fourth at Ligue 1 last season. Currently, they are third on the table with 11 points in five matches after conquests of Strasbourg (4:0), Rennes (2:1), and Guingamp (2:1), as well as draws with Bordeaux (3:3) and Nantes (0:0). This translates to a WDDWW form, all coming from domestic league matches.
Mariano, a transferee from Real Madrid, and Nabil Fekir both have four French league goals. GK Anthony Lopes has put up two clean sheets.
Aside from the Dominican forward, Les Gones have also acquired Bertrand Traoré from Chelsea, Tanguy Ndombele from Amiens, and Pape Cheikh Diop from Celta Vigo in the recent summer transfer window. However, they lost Alexandre Lacazette to Arsenal, Corentin Tolisso to Bayern, and Emanuel Mammana to Zenit.
APOLLON LIMASSOL vs. OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS – Match Prediction
An interesting side note, both camps feature coaches who have had relative success as players in their respective hometown clubs. The 11-time capped international Sofronis Avgousti had three separate spells as a goalkeeper before becoming the manager in 2016. Lyon-born Bruno Génésio came through the club’s ranks as a midfielder, playing for the senior side from 1985-95, returning as assistant coach in 2011 before taking sole command in December 2015.
O Fygas have participated in 12 stagings of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, accumulating a lifetime record of 18-11-23 with a -10 GD. That mediocre standing plus facing a more recognizable club means an Apollon victory, even at home, should be considered an upset.
MY PICK: Olympique Lyonnais (-149)
ATALANTA BC vs. EVERTON FC
3-Way: 1:Atalanta +165; X: +240 Draw; 2: Everton FC +239
Spread 0: Atalanta -125; Everton FC +138
Total +2.5: Over +127; Under -133
ATALANTA BC
Atalanta made it to the group stage of this season’s UEFA Europa League after placing fourth at Serie A last term. This also marks the club’s return to Europe since 1990-91, a 26-year absence in continental-level competition, when they were eliminated by Internazionale in the UEFA Cup quarter-final.They are undefeated in five European home matches (two wins, three 0:0 draws) since a 2:2 loss to Mechelen in the 1987-88 European Cup Winners’ Cup semi final. This is their first encounter with an English opponent.
The Nerazzurri are currently 13th on the Italian table, losing their first two matches (vs Roma 0:1, vs Napoli 1:3) before winning against Sassuolo, 2:1, on September 10 with goals coming from Andreas Cornelius and Andrea Petagna. Considering those are their first three fixtures of the new term, their form of WLLWW include two matches from last season’s Serie A, both 1:0 victories over Chievo and Empoli.
Midfielder Marten de Roon was at the Premier League last term with Middlesbrough, which lost 1:3 away and drew 0:0 at home against Everton.On-loan goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was also in England last season, playing with Aston Villa in the second tier. He was formerly a trainee at Manchester United, on the books at Old Trafford at the same time as Wayne Rooney.
La Dea acquired Marten de Roon from Middlesbrough for 13.5 million EUR, one of their transactions in the recent transfer window. They also dealt Andrew Conti to AC Milan.
EVERTON FC
Seventh at the 2016-17 Premier League, Everton has made it through all three of their previous UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, most recently in 2014-15.They are undefeated in four European games this season (W3, D1), losing only one of their last seven on the road in UEFA competition (W3, D3).In this year’s edition, they first passed through MFK Ruzomberok in the third qualifying round, where they prevailed with a 2:0 aggregate, before upending HNK Hajduk Split in the playoff with a 3:1 aggregate. To date, they have a W26, D7, L13 overall record in UEFA Europa League and equivalent tourneys.
The Liverpool-based squad’s record in six games against Serie A sides is W1, D2, L3, with defeats coming in all three of their past matches in Italy.They failed to score in the first five of those games, finally making the breakthrough in the most recent one, a 2:0 victory over Fiorentina in the 2007-08 UEFA Cup round of 16-second leg. However, they still lost in the end, 2:4 via shootout, getting themselves eliminated in the process.
A UEFA Europa League winner with Manchester United last season, Rooney could emulate Radamel Falcao (Porto 2011, Atlético 2012) by lifting the trophy in successive seasons with different clubs. GK Maarten Stekelenburg played at Serie A with Roma from 2011-13.
Aside from Rooney, the Toffees added to their ranks Gylfi Sigurðsson, Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, and Davy Klaassen during the summer transfer window. They took the place of Gerard Deulofeu, Tom Cleverley, Josef Yarney, Arouna Koné, and Gareth Barry.
ATALANTA vs. EVERTON FC – Match Prediction
The Merseyside crew might have difficulty winning in Italy, but there is always a first time. What is worth watching out for is whether Ronald Koeman, who has won a Euro trophy with the Netherlands as a defender and three Dutch titles as manager of Ajax and PSV, would field a full-strength lineup in this fixture or would preserve his wards’ energy for the fight against Manchester United this weekend. If he puts in a weakened side, then do not be surprised if Everton continues to perform dismally against Italian clubs. Still, I think that Everton could pull a slight upset in this one and take all three points.
MY PICK: Everton (+239)
