Following on from two exciting nights of Champions League action across Europe on Tuesday and Wednesday, today our attention turns to the other two big European competitions taking place this season.
They are the Europa League and the relative newcomer to the scene, the Europa Conference League.
After a successful first season, which saw the quality of the Europa League improve greatly following the introduction of the Europa Conference League, both these tournaments are back in their usual Thursday night slots and they will play through their group stages in the same week of the Champions League games.
There are two British or Irish teams in the Europa League this season, Arsenal and Manchester United, while there are three British or Irish teams in the Europa Conference League, West Ham United, Hearts and Shamrock Rovers.
In this article, we are going to preview both competitions, run through the groups, giving you our two teams to qualify from each group (as well as which team to back to win the group), as well as give you our quick tips for how we see each of the 16 games in each competition turning out this week.
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Europa League Preview
The draw for the Europa League was completed at the same time as the other two draw for the other two European competitions and has produced the following group set up.
Group A
- Arsenal
- PSV Eindhoven
- Bodo Glimt
- FC Zurich
To Win Group & Qualify – Arsenal (1-3), PSV Eindhoven
Group B
- Dynamo Kyiv
- Rennes
- Fenerbahce
- AEK Larnaca
To Win Group & Qualify – Rennes (11/8), Fenerbahce
Group C
- AS Roma
- Ludogorets Razgrad
- Real Betis
- HJK Helsinki
To Win Group & Qualify – AS Roma (4/6), Real Betis
Group D
- Braga
- Malmo
- Union Berlin
- Union Saint-Gilloise
To Win Group & Qualify – Union Berlin (6/4), Braga
Group E
- Manchester United
- Real Sociedad
- Sheriff Tiraspol
- Omonia Nicosia
To Win Group & Qualify – Man Utd (4/7), Real Sociedad
Group F
- Lazio
- Feyenoord
- Midtjylland
- SK Sturm Graz
To Win Group & Qualify – Feyenoord (12/5), Lazio
Group G
- Olympiacos
- FK Qarabag
- SC Freiburg
- Nantes
To Win Group & Qualify – SC Freiburg (6/4), Nantes
Group H
- Red Star Belgrade
- AS Monaco
- Ferencvaros
- Trabzonspor
To Win Group & Qualify – AS Monaco (5/6), Red Star Belgrade
Europa League Fixtures & Tips For Matchday 1
- PSV Eindhoven v Bodo Glimt – PSV to win – 4/11
- FC Zurich v Arsenal – Arsenal to win – 1/3
- Fenerbahce v Dynamo Kyiv – Fenerbahce to win – 13/20
- Ludogorets Razgrad v AS Roma – AS Roma to win – 8/15
- AEK Larnaca v Rennes – Rennes to win – 4/6
- Malmo v Braga – Draw – 12/5
- HJK Helsinki v Real Betis – Real Betis to win – 4/11
- Union Berlin v Union Saint-Gilloise – Union Berlin to win – 11/20
- Lazio v Feyenoord – Lazio to win – Evens
- Manchester United v Real Sociedad – Man Utd to win – 13/20
- Red Star Belgrade v AS Monaco – Red Star Belgrade to win – 12/5
- Ferencvaros v Trabzonspor – Draw – 12/5
- Omonia Nicosia v Sheriff Tiraspol – Sheriff Tiraspol to win – 23/10
- SK Sturm Graz v Midtjylland – Draw – 23/10
- Nantes v Olympiacos – Draw – 9/4
- SC Freiburg v Qarabag FK – SC Freiburg to win – 4/11
Europa League Outright Winner
- Arsenal – 11/2
- Manchester United – 8/1
- AS Roma – 14/1
- Lazio, Real Betis, Real Sociedad – 25/1
- PSV – 33/1
- SC Freiburg, Union Berlin – 40/1
- Feyenoord, AS Monaco – 50/1
- Braga, Fenerbahce, Olympiakos, Rennes – 66/1
- 100/1 bar
The two English teams lead the betting along with AS Roma, with other Italian, Spanish, Dutch, German and French sides then in the mix.
For me, Arsenal have a solid record in this competition, as do Man Utd, so I can understand those odds and both may feel this tournament offers them a realistic chance of success.
However, I also feel AS Roma may well feel that and I think under Jose Mourinho, who has a great record in this competition, they are the team to back here at 14/1.
Europa Conference League Preview
The 32 teams that qualified for the group stage of the Europa Conference League are outlined in their groups below.
Group A
- Fiorentina
- Hearts
- Istanbul Basaksehir
- RFS
To Win Group & Qualify – Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir
Group B
- Anderlecht
- FCSB
- Silkeborg
- West Ham United
To Win Group & Qualify – West Ham United, Anderlecht
Group C
- Austria Vienna
- Hapoel Beer-Sheva
- Lech Poznan
- Villarreal
To Win Group & Qualify – Villarreal, Lech Poznan
Group D
- Koln
- Nice
- Partizan Belgrade
- Slovacko
To Win Group & Qualify – Nice, Koln
Group E
- AZ Alkmaar
- Apollon Limassol
- Dnipro-1
- FC Vaduz
To Win Group & Qualify – AZ Alkmaar, Dnipro-1
Group F
- Djurgarden
- Gent
- Molde
- Shamrock Rovers
To Win Group & Qualify – Gent, Djurgarden
Group G
- Ballkani
- CFR Cluj
- Sivasspor
- Slavia Prague
To Win Group & Qualify – Slavia Prague, CFR Cluj
Group H
- FC Basel
- Pyunik Yerevan
- Slovan Bratislava
- Zalgiris Vilnius
To Win Group & Qualify – FC Basel, Slovan Bratislava
Europa Conference League Fixtures & Tips For Matchday 1
- Villarreal v Lech Poznan – Villarreal to Win – 2/7
- Nice v FC Koln – Nice to Win – 13/8
- Slovacko v Partizan Belgrade – Draw – 12/5
- Ballkani v CFR Cluj – CFR Cluj to Win – 23/20
- Anderlecht v Silkeborg – Anderlecht to Win – 13/20
- Fiorentina v RFS – Fiorentina to Win – 1/8
- Austria Vienna v Hapoel Beer-Sheva – Austria Vienna to win – 11/10
- Hearts v Istanbul Basaksehir – Draw – 12/5
- Dnipro-1 v AZ Alkmaar – AZ Alkmaar to win – 11/20
- West Ham v FCSB – West Ham to win – 1/5
- FC Vaduz v Apollon Limassol – Draw – 23/10
- Slovan Bratislava v Zalgiris Vilnius – Slovan Bratislava to win – 3/4
- Sivasspor v Slavia Prague – Draw – 12/5
- Molde v Gent – Draw – 29/10
- FC Basel v Pyunik Yerevan – FC Basel to win – 1/7
- Shamrock Rovers v Djurgarden – Djurgarden to win – Evens
UEFA Europa Conference League Outright Winner
- Villarreal – 11/2
- West Ham – 13/2
- Fiorentina – 10/1
- Koln, Nice – 14/1
- AZ Alkmaar – 20/1
- FC Basel – 25/1
- Istanbul Basaksehir, Slavia Prague, Anderlecht – 33/1
- 40/1 bar
Spanish side Villarreal lead the betting, unsurprising given they reached the Champions League semifinals last year. They are followed by the top five teams in the tournament alongside them, West Ham, Fiorentina, Koln and Nice.
Villarreal will likely go deep in this tournament, but I think West Ham should not be afraid of any team in this competition and after a mainly positive experience in the tournament last year, I think David Moyes team at 13/2 are a very good bet for an outright winner punt.
All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing but may have changed in the meantime.
