The Europa League returns tonight as clubs such as A.C. Milan, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City are all in action in the fourth gameweek of the competition.
Who will take a giant step towards qualification for the knockout rounds and who will be left wondering if their next two games might be their last in the tournament? Let’s take a look.
Napoli vs. HNK Rijeka (8pm GMT kick-off)
There’s bound to be a very special atmosphere in Naples, regardless of whether fans will be able to attend the game in any way. The passing of perhaps Napoli’s most influential player and the greatest of all-time in Diego Maradona, who died yesterday aged just 60, has plunged the entire city into mourning.
Napoli are duty bound to give their absolute all for the side in every game, but this one will be even more special. The Italian side who won their only two Scudetto titles with Maradona leading the team, are 2/13 to win the game, but take the -1 goal handicap (2/5) and -2 handicap to a slightly lesser degree (11/10) as the proud club will want to send their favourite son on his way with the mother of all victories.
Sporting Braga vs. Leicester City (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Last time out, this match was a gimme for Leicester as they won 4-0 and at a canter. With the absence of away fans, there’s no reason to imagine this will be any different, particularly because a) The Foxes still need points to qualify and b) Brendan Rodgers’ team will be a wounded animal after their 3-0 humbling at the hands of Liverpool on Sunday evening.
While there are bound to be changes, there’s sure to be the same result, and while it might not be a thrashing this time, Leicester are too good to resist at 11/10 for the straight win. Take that and Cengiz Under to score in a Foxes win at the even more appetising 7/2.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ludogorets Razgrad (8pm kick-off)
Just as Leicester need to win, so too do Spurs. With their slightly humiliating loss to Royal Antwerp in the rear-view along with that EPL opening day loss to Everton now, Tottenham look a real force to be reckoned with under Jose Mourinho.
With some changes likely to be made, betting on goalscorers is a game we’d only play once we know the line-ups, but while Spurs will have tougher games this season, they are a decent price to win with a -1 goal handicap, especially if you take Napoli with the same -1 goal handicap and (just do it, Spurs fans) Arsenal to win away at Molde.
The treble is a mouthwatering 2/1 in most places.
Gameweek #4 Europa League Fixtures:
CSKA Sofia vs. Young Boys (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
LASK vs. Royal Antwerp (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
CSKA Moscow vs. Feyenoord (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
RZ Pellets WAC vs. Dinamo Zagreb (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
KAA Gent vs. Red Star Belgrade (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Slovan Liberec vs. 1899 Hoffenheim (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Molde vs. Arsenal (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
AEK Athens vs. Zorya Luhansk (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Sporting Braga vs. Leicester City (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Lille vs. A.C. Milan (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Sparta Prague vs. Celtic (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
FK Qarabag vs. Sivasspor (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs. Villarreal (5.55pm GMT kick-off)
Dundalk vs. Rapid Vienna (8pm GMT kick-off)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. Hapoel Be’er Sheva (8pm GMT kick-off)
Nice vs. Slavia Prague (8pm GMT kick-off)
Rangers vs. Benfica (8pm GMT kick-off)
Standard Liege vs. Lech Poznan (8pm GMT kick-off)
Granada vs. Omonia Nicosia (8pm GMT kick-off)
PSV Eindhoven vs. PAOK Salonika (8pm GMT kick-off)
CFR Cluj vs. Roma (8pm GMT kick-off)
AZ Alkmaar vs. Real Sociedad (8pm GMT kick-off)
Napoli vs. HNK Rijeka (8pm GMT kick-off)
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ludogorets Razgrad (8pm GMT kick-
