Thursday night means Europa League and Europa Conference action and both these tournaments are also at the quarterfinal stage.
So with that in mind, we are going to be previewing each of the four games in both competitions over the next couple of days, starting today with the Europa League.
The change in format of the European competitions and the addition of the Europa Conference league has refined the quality in the Europa League considerably and while it is not a match for the Champions League, as you can see from the teams competing here, it is very much European football’s second biggest tournament.
With the likes of Man Utd, Juventus, AS Roma, Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon and the most successful Europa League team in history, Sevilla, in action here, this should be a cracking set of first leg ties this week.
All the odds in this article were available at bet365 Sport at the time of writing but do check out the odds ahead of the game incase they have changed in the meantime.
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So let’s now take a closer look at the games this week with the same format we used in our previous Champions League preview.
Europa League Quarter Finals 1st Leg
Thursday 13th April
Feyenoord v AS Roma (5.45pm)
Feyenoord warmed up for this game with a 5-1 win over Waalwjk at the weekend, a win which cements their place at the top of the Eredivisie, where they just need a couple more wins to secure the league title ahead of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven.
Arne Slot’s team will host Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma side who also earned a win at the weekend, a narrow 1-0 win over Torino, a result which moved them up in the Serie A table to third place ahead of Inter and Milan.
Roma haven’t conceded a goal in their last three Europa League ties and that defensive solidity will be key here against a Feyenoord side that have scored 120 goals in all competitions this season including 21 in 8 games in the Europa League.
I think this will be a tight game but with home advantage, I think that the Dutch side will take a very narrow lead into the second leg in Rome next week.
| Feyenoord | Info | AS Roma |
| Toon van Bodegom | Owner/President | Dan Friedkin |
| Arne Slot | Manager | Jose Mourinho |
| 2 | Europa League Wins | 0 |
| 0 | Europa League Runners Up | 1 |
| Lazio (A) L 2-4 | 2023 Group Stage Match 1 | L.Razgrad (A) L 1-2 |
| St. Graz (H) W 6-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 2 | HJK (H) W 3-0 |
| Midtjllnd (A) D 2-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 3 | R.Betis (H) L 1-2 |
| Midtjyllnd (H) D 2-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 4 | R.Betis (A) D 1-1 |
| St. Graz (A) L 0-1 | 2023 Group Stage Match 5 | HJK (A) W 2-1 |
| Lazio (H) W 1-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 6 | L.Razgrad (H) W 3-1 |
| Bye | Round of 32 1st Leg | RB Slzbrg (A) L 0-1 |
| Bye | Round of 32 2nd Leg | RB Slzbrg (H) W 2-0 |
| S.Donetsk (A) D 1-1 | Round of 16 1st Leg | R.Socdad (H) W 2-0 |
| S.Donetsk (H) W 7-1 | Round of 16 2nd Leg | R.Socdad (A) D 0-0 |
| P3, W0, D1, L2 | Head To Head Record | P3, W2, D1, L0 |
| 11/10 | Odds To Qualify | 4/6 |
| 12/1 | Odds To Win Europa League | 11/2 |
| 4-3-3 | Likely Formation | 3-4-2-1 |
Top Tip – Feyenoord to win 1-0 – 11/2
Bayer Leverkusen v Union St. Gilloise
Can Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen side continue their excellent run of recent form against the Belgians of Union St.Gilloise who have been one of the surprisingly strong teams in the Europa League this season, as well as domestically in the Belgian Jupiler league.
Leverkusen are unbeaten in nine and have won all their last seven games, including a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich, but their Belgian opponents are also in great form too and they did knockout Union Berlin from the tournament in the last round on the back of a 6-3 aggregate victory.
What is evident here with both teams is that they do concede goals and as such, I can see both finding the net in this first leg, but I am still backing the home side to take a narrow lead into the second leg.
| Bayer Leverkusen | Info | Union St. Gilloise |
| Fernando Carro | Owner/President | Tony Bloom |
| Xabi Alonso | Manager | Karel Geraerts |
| 1 | Europa League Wins | 0 |
| 0 | Europa League Runners Up | 0 |
| Cl.Brugge (A) L 0-1 | 2023 Group Stage Match 1 | U.Berlin (A) W 1-0 |
| At.Madrid (H) W 2-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 2 | Malmo (H) W 3-2 |
| FC Porto (A) L 0-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 3 | Braga (A) W 2-1 |
| FC Porto (H) L 0-3 | 2023 Group Stage Match 4 | Braga (H) D 3-3 |
| At.Madrid (A) D 2-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 5 | Malmo (A) W 2-0 |
| Cl.Brugge (H) D 0-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 6 | U.Berlin (H) L 0-1 |
| Monaco (H) L 2-3 | Round of 32 1st Leg | Bye |
| Monaco (A) W 3-2* | Round of 32 2nd Leg | Bye |
| Ferencvrs (H) W 2-0 | Round of 16 1st Leg | U.Berlin (A) D 3-3 |
| Ferencvrs (A) W 2-0 | Round of 16 2nd Leg | U.Berlin (H) W 3-0 |
| Never Played | Head To Head Record | Never Played |
| 3/10 | Odds To Qualify | 12/5 |
| 7/1 | Odds To Win Europa League | 20/1 |
| 3-4-1-2 | Likely Formation | 3-5-2 |
Top Tip – Bayer Leverkusen to win and both teams to score – 9/4
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon
Two of the biggest names in European football clash at the Allianz Stadium in the first leg as Juventus welcome Sporting Lisbon in what promises to be an intriguing two legs of Europa League action over the next week or so.
Juventus are off the pace in Serie A, chiefly because of a 15-point penalty imposed on them and Sporting are lying third in the Portuguese league but a little off the pace being set by Benfica and FC Porto.
Despite that coach Ruben Amorim has drawn admiring glances from other top European sides for creating an attacking and inventive young team, who beat Arsenal on penalties in the last round to make it through into the Europa League quarterfinals.
Juventus are very tough to beat at home, but their away form is arguably better in this competition this season but while I can see Sporting Lisbon scoring a goal, I think Juventus have the experience and quality to earn the win here.
| Juventus | Info | Sporting Lisbon |
| Gianluca Ferro | Owner/President | Frederico Varandas |
| Massimiliano Allegri | Manager | Ruben Amorim |
| 3 | Europa League Wins | 0 |
| 1 | Europa League Runners Up | 1 |
| PSG (A) L 1-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 1 | E.Frnkfrt (A) W 3-0 |
| Benfica (H) L 1-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 2 | Tottenham (H) W 2-0 |
| Ma.Haifa (H) W 3-1 | 2023 Group Stage Match 3 | Marseilla (A) L 1-4 |
| Ma. Haifa (A) L 0-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 4 | Marseille (H) L 0-2 |
| Benfica (A) L 3-4 | 2023 Group Stage Match 5 | Tottenham (A) D 1-1 |
| PSG (H) L 1-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 6 | E.Frnkfrt (H) L 1-2 |
| Nantes (H) D 1-1 | Round of 32 1st Leg | Midtjylnd (H) D 1-1 |
| Nantes (A) W 3-0 | Round of 32 2nd Leg | Midtjylnd (A) W 4-0 |
| Freiburg (H) W 1-0 | Round of 16 1st Leg | Arsenal (H) D 2-2 |
| Freiburg (A) W 2-0 | Round of 16 2nd Leg | Arsenal (A) D 1-1* |
| P3, W1, D1, L1 | Head To Head Record | P3, W1, D1, L1 |
| 1/2 | Odds To Qualify | 6/4 |
| 11/2 | Odds To Win Europa League | 10/1 |
| 3-5-1-1 | Likely Formation | 3-4-3 |
Top Tip – Juventus to win and both teams to score – 7/2
Manchester United v Sevilla
Most bookmakers have Manchester United as the hot favourites to win this game, but if you look at the history of United against Sevilla, it is the Spanish side that have come out on top in the three games between the teams so far.
A two-legged Champions League knockout phase game went the way of Sevilla and then they beat United in the most recent of their record breaking six Europa League wins, double that of their nearest rivals in this competition.
United’s home form is very good, but they did lose to Real Sociedad on the opening night of the Group Stage. Sevilla were beaten into third in their Champions League qualification group behind Man City and Dortmund, which was by no means a dismal result.
I can’t say I share the bookies confidence for this game being a comfortable home win for United. Sevilla have something special going in this competition and as such, I am backing them to earn something from this game in the shape of a score draw.
| Manchester Utd | Info | Sevilla |
| Joel & Avram Glazer | Owner/President | Jose Carmona |
| Erik Ten Hag | Manager | Jose Mendilibar |
| 1 | Europa League Wins | 6 |
| 1 | Europa League Runners Up | 0 |
| R.Sociedad (H) L 0-1 | 2023 Group Stage Match 1 | Man City (H) L 0-4 |
| Sheriff T (A) W 2-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 2 | Copenhagn (A) D 0-0 |
| Omonia (A) W 3-2 | 2023 Group Stage Match 3 | Dortmund (H) L 1-4 |
| Omonia (H) W 1-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 4 | Dortmund (A) D 1-1 |
| Sheriff T (H) W 3-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 5 | Copenhgn (H) W 3-0 |
| R.Sociedd (A) W 1-0 | 2023 Group Stage Match 6 | Man City (A) L 1-3 |
| Barcelona (A) D 2-2 | Round of 32 1st Leg | PSV (H) W 3-0 |
| Barcelona (H) W 2-1 | Round of 32 2nd Leg | PSV (A) L 0-2 |
| R.Betis (H) W 4-1 | Round of 16 1st Leg | Fenerbace (H) W 2-0 |
| R.Betis (A) W 1-0 | Round of 16 2nd Leg | Fenerbace (A) L 0-1 |
| P3, W0, D1, L2 | Head To Head Record | P3, W2, D1, L0 |
| 1/5 | Odds To Qualify | 10/3 |
| 11/8 | Odds To Win Europa League | 12/1 |
| 4-2-3-1 | Likely Formation | 4-2-3-1 |
Top Tip – Draw and both teams to score – 5/1 with bet365
Our Europa Conference League Quarter Final 1st Leg tips will be published tomorrow, so do check back to take a closer look at the four quarterfinal ties in that competition too.
*Kick off times are 8pm unless otherwise stated. All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing, but may have changed since the article was published.
*Matches marked with an asterisk* were won via a penalty shoot out.
*Group Stage games shown in italics were from teams that competed in the Group Stages of the Champions League but dropped into the Europa League for the knockout phase.
