The UEFA Europa League group phase continues this Thursday, so take a look at our tips and predictions for the Group A matches. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and enter the action at Get More Sports.
FC Astana (Kaz) vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv (Isr)
Three-Way: 1: Astana +138; X: +231 Draw; 2: Maccabi Tel Aviv +300
Spread -0.5: Astana +124; Maccabi Tel Aviv -141
Total +2: Over -122; Under +110
FC ASTANA
The Blue and Yellows are in good form of six matches without a loss, but now they need a win here to stay in contention for the knockout phase. Astana lost the opening game at Villarreal but showed that they are surely not pushovers, which was evident in the next tilt against Slavia Prague when it was 1:1. Despite solid displays, the Kazakhstani champions collected just one point so far in the Europa League, so a victory on Thursday is a must for them.
Astana has played 41 games so far in the 2017/18, recording 26 wins, six draws, and nine losses, with a goal difference of 79:36, which is 2.8 goals per contest on average. When it comes to home matches, Astana lost only one in 19, and that was in the Super Cup at the start of the campaign. They scored at least a goal in each of those games, so Maccabi will have a lot of trouble to contain the hosts from scoring.
The Congolese striker Junior Kabananga is the team’s top scorer with 18 goals to his name, while the right-winger Patrick Twumasi with 12, and Srdjan Grahovac with eight, are behind Junior on the goal-scoring chart. The left-back Dmitri Shomko is the best assist-maker with ten dishes so far; Twumasi has nine, while Serikzhan Muzhikov added eight to his name. The coach Stanimir Stoilov doesn’t have plenty of injury-related issues; the Hungarian midfielder Laszlo Kleinheisler is the only unavailable with a knee injury.
MACCABI TEL AVIV
The Israeli vice-champions are in a quite similar situation as Astana after they collected one point from the first two Europa League matches, so only a victory would keep them alive in this competition. Maccabi is without a defeat in five consecutive games since the 0-1 loss to Slavia Prague, but like Astana, they didn’t disappoint in the Europa League so far. However, at the end of the day, points are important, not good performances, and Maccabi is far from an excellent position at the moment.
Maccabi played 17 games so far this season, recording 11 wins, four draws, and two defeats, with a goal difference of 26:12, which is close to 2.25 goals per contest on average. In eight away matches, Jordi Cruyff’s team suffered only one loss; the aforementioned against Slavia in Prague. That was also the only time the Israeli failed to score away from home, so I believe we could witness a rather entertaining clash with Astana on Thursday.
The Icelandic forward Vidar Kjartansson is currently the team’s leading scorer with seven goals, but Omer Atzili is right behind him with six goals to his name. Atzili is also at the top of the assist chart with four dishes, the same amount as the left-back Ofir Davidzada. The right-back Eli Dasa is sidelined with thigh muscle rupture; the midfielder Jose Rodriguez is out with a strain, Eyal Golasa is suffering from a knee injury, Aaron Schoenfeld is dealing with a strain, while Dor Micha is out with a thigh muscle rupture.
Astana (Kaz) vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv (Isr) – Match Prediction
Both teams are very good in scoring goals lately and considering that they must go for a win on this one, I am backing goals on both ends.
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (+108)
Villarreal (Spa) vs. Slavia Prague (Cze)
Three-Way: 1: Villarreal -189; X: +430 Draw; 2: Slavia Prague +850
Spread -1: Villarreal -132; Slavia Prague +127
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under +110
VILLARREAL
The Yellow Submarine are at the top of the Europa League group A with four points, the same amount as Slavia, but with a better goal difference. This duel could decide the group champions, and although Villarreal is big favorites here, the visitors cannot be underestimated as they formed an excellent squad this summer. After going through a little crisis recently, the Spaniards won two consecutive matches in La Liga over Eibar and Girona, thanks to fantastic striker Cedric Bakambu who scored all five goals for Villarreal in those two games.
Villarreal played ten games in the 2017/18 campaign so far, recording five victories, two draws, and three defeats, with a goal difference of 14:11, which is precisely 2.5 goals per contest on average. When it comes to matches at Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal won three and drew one game, allowing just a couple of goals in the process, so the visitors could struggle to find the net on Thursday night.
Cedric Bakambu is the team’s top scorer with eight goals in nine appearances, but only five of his teammates managed to score so far (Bacca, Sansone, Castillejo, Unal, and Cheryshev). With the exception of Bakambu, who has been in an outstanding form of late, Villarreal has problems with efficiency, so other players must step in and support the Congolese striker. Manu Trigueros, Pablo Fornals, and Samu Castillejo have a pair of assists to their respective names at the moment. The Portuguese centre-back Ruben Semedo is out with a muscle injury, while the goalkeepers Sergio Asenjo and Andres Fernandez (both out with cruciate ligament rupture), Bruno Soriano (leg), and Adrian Marin (knee) are sidelined as well.
SLAVIA PRAGUE
The Czech champions weren’t lucky enough to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League and had to settle with competing in the Europa League instead, but for now, they are doing just fine with four points from the opening two matches. Visit to Villarreal will be the biggest test Slavia could experience in this group, and despite being labeled as the underdogs, the visitors have a lot to offer. Just like the Yellow Submarine, Slavia won the last two league games, and they are currently in the 2nd place with eight points behind Plzen.
Slavia played 17 games so far in the 2017/18 campaign, recording nine victories, six draws, and two losses, with a goal difference of 24:8, which is 1.88 goals per contest on average. They are struggling with efficiency in away matches after scoring just six goals in eight outings, securing only one win – the most recent one at Karvina. Considering Villarreal’s goal-scoring record, I am not expecting a bunch of goals here, and it will be extremely hard for the visitors to find a net.
Milan Skoda is the team’s leading scorer with six goals to his name; Tomas Necid is following him with five, while the Dutch forward Mick van Buren has three goals thus far. Josef Husbauer and Miroslav Stoch are the most creative players with three assists, but Danny, Halil Altintop, and Ruslan Rotan can all create danger in Villarreal’s box. Dusan Svento and Muris Mesanovic are still unavailable and cannot help their teammates on Thursday night.
Villarreal (Spa) vs. Slavia Prague (Cze) – Match Prediction
It is going to be a tight affair, but I believe the hosts are a better team, so I am backing them to win on AH, simply because Slavia is not playing quite well away from home.
MY PICK: Villarreal to win AH -1 (-132)
