Another set of Europa League matches that will take place on Thursday comes from Group C that features Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria), Braga (Portugal), 1899 Hoffenheim (Germany) and Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey). The Bulgarian team ranks at the top with eight points while Braga has seven points earned. The Germans and the Turks are positioned on the last two spots at the moment with four and two points but they also still have certain chances of advancing to the next round. Let’s take a closer look.
Braga (Por) vs. Hoffenheim (Ger)
Three-Way: 1: Braga +250; X: +280 Draw; 2: Hoffenheim +129 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +0.5: Braga -125; Hoffenheim +125
Total +3: Over +110; Under -115
BRAGA
The Portuguese team ranks second at the group table with seven points and 2-1-1 record. Two wins came home against Basaksehir (2:1) and on the road against Hoffenheim (2:1) while double duel with the Bulgarians went by with a home loss (0:2) and a road draw (1:1). If they manage to emerge victorious in this next match they will secure the next stage of the Europa League while a draw also opens certain possibilities.
In the domestic competition, they rank at No. 4 spot with 22 points after 11 rounds and they are coming off from a 2:2 road draw against second-ranked Sporting CP that snatched the six-game winning streak they pulled out during the months of September and October. Their goal difference is 19-11 and 55% of their overall duels had over 2.5 goals in total. Midfielder Fransergio is the leading scorer for the team in the Europa League with two goals while Ricardo Esgaio added two assists.
Mauro (knee ligament), Marafona (knee injury) and Lazar Rosic (collarbone fracture) are ruled out for Thursday.
HOFFENHEIM
The German side presented one of the favorites to win this group prior to the start of the stage but it looks like the assumed superiority of top national soccer leagues in Europe isn’t that superior at all especially in the Europa League. Famous teams all over the group stage are struggling to secure the advancement to the eight-finals and one of those are the Blues from Sinsheim, This will be a very important duel for them because in the last round they’ll have to lock horns with arguably best team in the group so far, Ludogorets and they don’t want to search full prey against them in order to advance through.
In German Bundesliga Hoffenheim ranks at the No. 6 spot with 20 points after 12 rounds and the 5-5-2 record. They’re coming off from a 1:1 home draw against Eintracht Frankfurt while every second Hoffenheim’s matchup had over 2.5 goals in total. Authors of Hoffenheim’s six goals in the European scene this year are Nadiem Amiri, Florian Grillitsch, Benjamin Hubner, Pavel Kaderabek, Nico Schulz and Sandro Wagner while Kerem Demirbay collected team-high two assists.
Benjamin Hubner (muscle), Pavel Kaderabek (knee), Ermin Bicakcic (knee) and Meris Skenderovic (muscle) are ruled out for Thursday.
Braga (Por) vs. Hoffenheim (Ger) – Match Prediction
Braga team is white hot right now and they’ve already proved that they can defeat the German team in round two on the road. Still, I’m not sure that they can do it again because the stakes are a lot higher now and a draw looks more appealing. Still, I expect goals scored on both sides, which is why I am going with the over as my safe pick.
MY PICK: Over 3 goals (+110)
Ludogorets (Bul) vs. Basaksehir (Tur)
Three-Way: 1: Ludogorets -119; X: +298 Draw; 2: Basaksehir +500 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Ludogorets -125; Basaksehir +120
Total +2.5: Over -109; Under +104
LUDOGORETS
The Bulgarians are one step inside the Europa League eight-finals and if they win here the job will be done one round before the end of the stage. Two wins over Hoffenheim at home (2:1) and over Braga on the road (2:0) along with two draws against Braga at home (1:1) and against Basaksehir on the road (0:0) proved to be enough to claim the pole position before the finale of the group stage. Still, there is no time for relaxing and they need to stay focused until the final minute.
The squad is also very successful in the Bulgarian Premier League as they lead the caravan with 39 points after 16 rounds and 12-3-1 record. The only loss so far came two weeks ago against second-ranked CSKA Sofia (1:2) but they managed to bounce back with a 3:0 road win over Lokomotiv Plovdiv last Saturday. Their goal difference in the domestic league is 37-8 and 56% of their overall matches had over 2.5 goals in total. Svetoslav Dyakov, Jody Lukoki, Marcelinho and Cosmin Moti scored one goal each in the Europa League so far.
Keeper Vladislav Stoyanov (patella rupture) is the only player unavailable for the upcoming duel.
BASAKSEHIR
The Turkish champions had a great 2016 season but after failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage they are now close to finishing their appearance in the Europe a lot sooner than anyone expected. They have only two points earned two rounds before the end and they need two wins if they want to advance to the Europa League eighth-finals. Still, when we look at the roster this team possesses that doesn’t look impossible at all.
In the Turkish Super League, they are currently tied at the top position with the same number of points as Galatasaray (26) and 8-2-2 record. On Saturday they destroyed their biggest rival at the moment, Galatasaray squad 5:1 at home and the moral could be skyrocketing right now. Their goal difference is 23-14 and 67% of their overall matches had over 2.5 goals in total. Emre Belizoglu, Stefano Napoleoni, and Edin Visca were the authors of three goals scored in the Europa League so far.
Aurelien Chedjou (fractured foot), Egemen Korkmaz (knee), Mehmet Batdal (unknown) and Tunay Torun (unknown) are out for Thursday.
Ludogorets (Bul) vs. Basaksehir (Tur) – Match Prediction
This game has a high potential of being a high-scoring one and that will be my first guess here. When it comes to the final winner, I would go with the double chance on the Turks because they’ll be riding on the wings of a great victory over Galatasaray team in which they dominated and they definitely have the quality to emerge victorious in Razgrad, or at least win a point.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-109)
Additional pick: Basaksehir DC X2 (+127)
