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Europa Conference League betting tips, free bets and betting offers - Thursday 11 April
Just eight teams remain in this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League, with eight all seeking to move one step closer to this season’s final in Athens.
Here are our betting tips for this week’s quarter-final first leg action.
Europa Conference League Betting Tips - Thursday 11 April
UEFA Europa Conference League Acca of the Day
Aston Villa vs Lille betting tips
Arguably, the best two teams left in this season’s Europa Conference League will go head-to-head in the quarter-finals, so who’s dreams of glory will go up in flames?
Aston Villa were European champions in 1982, but this is their first continental escapade for 13 seasons, reaching a first quarter-final in Europe since a UEFA Cup defeat to Atlético Madrid 26 years ago.
So far, the Claret and Blue Army have won seven of ten Europa Conference League matches, smashing Ajax 4-0 in the second leg of their round of 16 tie, following a cagy goalless draw in Amsterdam a week earlier.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s team are fifth in the Premier League, despite winning only one of their last five, on course to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since they were holders in the early-80s.
Now though, hoisting aloft Villa’s first major trophy since the League Cup in 1996 is the priority and, with a trip to Northern France to come next mid-week, they’ll feel a home win is vital in this first leg.
LOSC Lille meanwhile are set to feature in the quarter-finals of a UEFA competition for the very first time, losing all five round of 16 ties they’d played prior to this season.
Les Dogues therefore made history by overcoming Sturm Graz last month, winning 3-0 in Austria before a 1-1 draw in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, thereby still yet to taste defeat in this competition.
Paulo Fonseca’s side meanwhile are also in great form in Ligue 1, with Friday night’s 3-1 win over Marseille meaning they remain fourth, in a strong position to also feature in the Champions League next season.
Given that Lille are unbeaten in 15 home games, dating back to 26 September, any sort of positive result in the Midlands will leave them in a strong position ahead of the rematch at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Nevertheless, given that Villa have won all five Europa Conference League fixtures at Villa Park, scoring 12 goals, victory for the Claret and Blue Army seems the most-likely outcome.
Viktoria Plzen vs Fiorentina betting tips
Having reached last season’s final, will Fiorentina go one further this time round?
Last year, I Viola were beaten in two cup finals in the space of a fortnight, defeated by Inter in the Coppa Italia Final, before another 2-1 reverse, this time at the hands of West Ham United in this tournament.
Chasing the club’s first major silverware since 2001, Vincenzo Italiano’s team are in the hunt for both trophies again this season, beating Atalanta 1-0 in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final last Wednesday.
Meantime, Fiorentina are unbeaten in nine Europa Conference League fixtures, overcoming Maccabi Haifa in a truly bonkers round of 16 tie, prevailing 4-3 in Budapest before a 1-1 draw at the Artemio Franchi.
Following back-to-back Serie A defeats, the latter coming against fierce rivals Juventus on Sunday night, I Gigliati are tenth in the league, meaning their most-likely route back into Europe will be by winning a cup.
In their way here are Viktoria Plzeň, a club competing in the quarter-finals of a UEFA competition for the first time in their entire history.
So far in Europe, Miroslav Koubek’s team have enjoyed wins over Drita, Gżira United, Tobol, Ballkani, Astana and GNK Dinamo, topping their group with maximum points, before a nerve-shredding last 16 victory over Servette.
After over three and a half hours of football, neither team had made the breakthrough, meaning a penalty shootout was required, with Viktoria Plzeň pulling through 3-1 in the spot-kick competition.
Now, with the second leg to come in Florence, most would agree the Czech side need to win this first leg at Stadion města Plzně to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Olympiacos vs Fenerbahce betting tips
With this season’s final taking place in Athens, we could still have an all-Greek affair at Agia Sophia Stadium, with Olympiacos one of the two teams still in contention.
Having won 47 domestic titles, crowned champions in 22 of the last 27 seasons, Olympiacos have become regular fixtures in European competition, but not often this deep into them.
The Red-Whites are seeking to reach a first-ever UEFA semi-final, twice beaten in quarter-finals, ousted from the Cup Winners’ Cup by Atlético Madrid in 1993 and Juventus in the Champions League six years later.
So far this campaign, after finishing third in their Europa League group, they dropped into this competition, first swatting aside Ferencváros, before a completely crazy victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the round of 16.
Olympiacos appeared dead and buried, smashed 4-1 in Piraeus, only to then win 4-1 in Bačka Topola, forcing extra time, in which Stevan Jovetić and Youssef El-Arabi were on target to complete the comeback.
As alluded to earlier, this club dominates the Greek Super League, but are not going to win the title for a second successive year.
In fact, since the start of last season, they’ve had no fewer than eight managers, with José Luis Mendilibar now in charge of the side fourth domestically, four points adrift leaders PAOK with six games to play.
So, Olympiacos are not guaranteed a spot in Europe next season, but could make history by reaching the club’s first-ever semi-final on the continent here.
In their way are Fenerbahçe, who themselves have only ever featured in the semi-finals of one UEFA competition, denied a place in the 2013 Europa League Final by Benfica.
This season, the Yellow Canaries have won 11 of their 14 Europa Conference League fixtures, surprisingly hammering Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the round of 16, notably leaving Brussels 3-0 winners.
Having won six Süper Lig matches on the spin, İsmail Kartal’s side sit second, just two points below Galatasaray, with another Intercontinental Derby to come on the penultimate week of the season.
However, Fenerbahçe have certainly had a busy couple of weeks, threatening to withdraw from the league after their players were assaulted by Trabzonspor supporters following a pitch invasion last month.
Then, in protest that the Turkish Super Cup was rescheduled for Sunday, ahead of this tie, Fener decided to play their U19s, who then walked off less than 90 seconds in after Gala had taken the lead in Şanlıurfa.
This is unlike to be a quiet night either, so can Olympiacos make home advantage count at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium?
Club Brugge vs PAOK betting tips
Last, but by no means least, both of these two clubs will see this tie as a golden opportunity to reach a major European semi-final.
Just last season, Club Brugge were featuring in the Champions League knockout phase, but it is 32 years since their most-recent continental semi-final, beaten by Werder Bremen in the Cup Winners’ Cup back then.
So far this season, the Blue-Blacks have already played 14 European Conference League matches, notably knocking out Osasuna in qualifying before topping their group unbeaten with five victories out of six.
Then, in last month’s round of 16, despite losing the first leg 2-1 at Røkkeløkka, Brugge bounced back by swatting aside Molde 3-0 at home; Andreas Skov Olsen bagging a brace, before Michał Skóraś secured victory.
However, all is not hunky-dory in West Flanders, sacking manager Ronny Deila during the international break, with the side third in the Jupiler Pro League, five points adrift leaders Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
Nicky Hayen, who was youth team coach, is in caretaker charge for this huge tie, so can Brugge establish a first leg advantage at Jan Breydelstadion?
Visitors PAOK meantime are seeking to reach the semi-finals of a UEFA competition for the first time ever.
To date, they’ve only ever appeared in two quarter-finals, dumped out the Cup Winners’ Cup by AC Milan in 1974, while also getting the the last eight of this tournament two years ago, ousted by Olympique Marseille.
This time round, the White-Blacks, like their hosts, have already played 14 Europa Conference League fixtures, their sole defeat coming in the first leg of their round of 16 clash.
Răzvan Lucescu’s side were beaten 2-0 in Zagreb by GNK Dinamo but, a week later, roared back, prevailing 5-1 on a famous night in Thessaloniki.
Following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with AEK Athens, PAOK remain one point clear at the top of the Greek Super League, chasing just a fourth league title, after ‘76, ‘85 and 2019, with only six matches remaining.
In this first leg, will there be a winner in Belgium?
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