Last Thursday’s first legs produced 11 goals, with all four clubs scoring at least twice, so let’s hope for more of the same.
Here are our betting tips for this week’s semi-final second leg action.
Europa Conference League Betting Tips - Wednesday 8 & Thursday 9 May
UEFA Europa Conference League Acca of the Day
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals
Club Brugge vs Fiorentina
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals
Olympiacos vs Aston Villa
At 3/1 a £10 bet would return £41.25!
UEFA Europa Conference League acca of the week- 8 & 9 May
Olympiacos vs Aston Villa betting tips
After claiming a shock victory a week ago, that surely no one could’ve seen coming, can Olympiacos finish the job at home, becoming the first Greek team to reach a European Final for 53 years, with the final taking place in Athens?
Most made Aston Villa overwhelming favourites to get through this tie, but it was the away side who raced into a 2-0 lead in the English Midlands, with Ayoub El Kaabi scoring twice inside half an hour.
However, Ollie Watkins hit back in first half injury time before, straight after the interval, Moussa Diaby squeezed the ball in-between Konstantinos Tzolakis and his near-post, thereby making it 2-2, sending Villa Park into a frenzy.
However, almost immediately, Douglas Luiz was penalised for handball, with referee Marco Guida pointing the penalty spot, as El Kaabi cooly completed his hat-trick, sending Robin Olsen the wrong way.
It then got worse for the Claret and Blue Army, Santiago Hezze’s long-range strike deflecting in off Ezri Konsa’s back, and the Greek side boasted a 4-2 lead.
Towards the end, Villa were given a route back into the tie, David Carmo hauling down Jhon Durán in the area, but Luiz’s miserable night got even worse, as his spot-kick thwacked the up-right.
So, 4-2 it remained, with Olympiacos claiming just a fourth victory in England, on their 21st visit, all of the previous three coming at the Emirates.
Will it be a famous night at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, or can Aston Villa produce a famous comeback?
Olympiacos have now played 354 matches in UEFA competition, but are competing in the semi-finals of one for the very first time, previously dumped out in various quarter-finals in 1993 and 1999.
To get this far, the Red-Whites came third in their Europa League group, before overcoming Ferencváros, Maccabi Tel Aviv, despite losing the first leg 4-1, and then Fenerbahçe, prevailing via a penalty shootout in İstanbul.
Amazingly, despite this, Olympiacos are going through a turbulent period domestically, currently fourth in the Greek Super League, with José Luis Mendilibar their sixth ‘permanent’ manager since the start of last season.
Nevertheless, Mendilibar, the man who won the Europa League 12 months ago, is on the cusp of leading this club to a first-ever continental final, one that’s taking place just 8.3 miles away in Nea Filadelfeia, at the home of their fierce rivals AEK Athens.
Aston Villa meantime appear to be running out of steam both domestically and in Europe, beaten 1-0 at Brighton on Sunday, still fourth in the Premier League, thankful for Tottenham’s even more terrible form.
While the Villans will cling onto a top four finish, their hopes of a first European final since they were crowned kings of the continent in 1982 may have gone up in flames a week ago.
Unai Emery as a manager has reached five Europa League Finals, winning four of them, claiming victory in each of his last 25 two-legged ties in Europa-based competition, including ousting Ajax and Lille this year.
However, Villa now require a monumental comeback in Piraeus if they’re to be returning to Greece for the final in three weeks time.
Thus, we think the away side have left themsleves too much to do.
Aston Villa to win after 90 minutes
1st selection
Olympiacos to qualify
2nd selection
Both teams to score
3rd selection
Ollie Watkins to score anytime
4th selection
At 13/2 a £10 bet would return £75
Olympiacos vs Aston Villa
Club Brugge vs Fiorentina betting tips
On Wednesday evening, this tie brought forward 26 hours to avoid clashing with the Coupe de Belgique Final, can Club Brugge overturn a narrow one-goal deficit, or will it be delight for Fiorentina in West Flanders?
Six nights ago, the hosts struck first in Florence, Riccardo Sottil curling home a stunner after just four minutes, only for Brugge to hit back quickly, Hans Vanaken sending Pietro Terracciano the wrong way from the penalty spot.
I Viola retook the lead through Andrea Belotti’s swivelled effort on the turn just before half time; 2-1.
Then, on the hour mark, Brugge were reduced to ten-men, Raphael Onyedika dismissed for a wild tackle on Lucas Beltrán, unperturbed however, the visitors equalised mere moments later, a long-ball forward picked out Igor Thiago who burst in-behind and slotted home.
It appeared as though the Blue-Blacks were going to hold on for a crucial draw but, just as the tie entered injury time, M’Bala Nzola’s shot thwacked the cross-bar, before he slotted home the rebound.
So, 3-2 it finished at Stadio Artemio Franchi; can Fiorentina make this slender advantage count?
Vincenzo Italiano’s team are seeking to reach back-to-back Europa Conference League Finals, having been heartbreaking beaten by West Ham in Prague 12 months ago.
In the knockout phase so far this season, I Viola have overcome Maccabi Haifa and Viktoria Plzeň, meaning they’ve won eight of their last 12 European away games, losing just one, only needing a draw here of course.
Given that I Gigliati are ninth in Serie A, following Sunday’s shock 2-1 defeat at relegation-threatened Hellas Verona, Fiorentina may need to win this competition to be back in Europe again next season.
Meanwhile, this is Club Brugge’s first European semi-final since 1992, hoping to feature in a first final since they were beaten by Liverpool in the 1978 European Cup Final at Wembley.
This will be the Blue-Blacks’ 18th match in this competition of the campaign, winning 12 of them, notably claiming victories over Osasuna, Bodø/Glimt, Beşiktaş, Molde and most-recently PAOK already.
Despite this, Brugge changed manager as recently as mid-March, sacking Ronny Deila with Nicky Hayen, who’d been in charge of their youth team, tasked with leading them to glory.
Well, in the Jupiler Pro League, this change appears to be paying dividends, with Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Genk a sixth successive win, leaving them top, a point above Anderlecht and three clear Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, with both still to play.
At home, Brugge are unbeaten in Europe this season, winning six of eight fixtures, scoring 20 times, as they aim to eliminate Italian opposition over two legs for the first time in 46 years.
Another high-scoring encounter seems likely, but who will be celebrating a place in the Europa Conference League Final come full time at Jan Breydelstadion?
Fiorentina to qualify
1st selection
Both teams to score
2nd selection
Over 2.5 goals
3rd selection
At 2/1 a £10 bet would return £30!
Club Brugge vs Fiorentina
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