Matchday 2 of the 2024-25 Europa League takes place this week and we also get our first glimpse of the Europa Conference League.
With the bulk of the action kicking off this evening, NetBet has run the rule over a number of games and provided some betting tips.
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Porto to beat Manchester United @ 2.58
Porto’s Estadio do Dragao will host what many consider to be the main event in this week’s Europa League schedule, as Premier League giants Manchester United visit. The quality and rich history of these teams, however, is not what make this tie so interesting.
A combination of inconsistent performances and potential consequences give this tie all the drama of a soap opera – and we have no idea what to expect.
Porto had been in a bit of a purple patch until a loss to 10-man Bodo/Glimt on Matchday 1 halted their momentum. United have got off to a slow start in both the league and in Europe, with drastic changes required to turn their season around.
All in all, this game could go either way but we are favouring the Portuguese side thanks to their strong home record. Could it be the last defeat of Erik ten Hag’s stint as Red Devils boss?
Chelsea to beat Gent @ 1.24
Another English side in action this evening is Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea. Stuffed to the gills with expensive star players, it looks as if the Blues have finally bought enough players for the football to actually start improving.
A thrill to watch, Chelsea have been scoring freely this season and are at the point where they are almost comfortable conceding, as they know they have game-changing players all over the park.
Star man Cole Palmer has been left out of the Conference League squad but Maresca can still call upon the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix to fill the void.
Gent are, of course, not to be overlooked. They sit third in the Jupiler Pro League and even thrashed Club Brugge 4-2 away from home a few weeks back. However, we cannot see anything close to a repeat of that result at Stamford Bridge.
Athletic Bilbao to beat AZ Alkmaar @ 1.65
Athletic Bilbao are back at San Mames in European competition this week and it could be a fascinating clash against AZ.
The hosts are currently fifth in La Liga after a strong start, only dropping points to Barcelona and Atletico Madrid thus far. They kickstarted their Europa League campaign with a draw at Roma and will expect to go one better on Matchday 2.
AZ will also go into this one with a feeling of confidence after a fast start of their own in the Eredivisie, one which sees them third in the table. Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrot has proven to be a real difference maker since he joined the club, scoring six goals in eight appearances.
But with the crucial home advantage and devastating power in attack (Nico Williams in particular), it is hard to look past an Athletic victory here.
Legia Warsaw vs Real Betis: Both teams to score @ 1.84
More evidence of the quality of the Conference League will be on show in Warsaw tonight as Legia host Seville-based Real Betis.
Both sitting comfortably in the top half of their respective domestic leagues, but not quite where they want to be, a strong European campaign could provide the momentum needed to turn a good season into a great one.
These sides will have aspirations of going deep in the competition and as such, this could be one of the more underrated fixtures of the European midweek.
Legia boast a talented squad littered with match winners, while Betis can look to the likes of Giovani Lo Celso for inspiration. We expect goals aplenty in this intriguing tie.
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