Milan continued their strong performance by defeating Slavia Prague in the round of 16 after eliminating Rennes, who were relegated from the Champions League. The seven-time European champions secured a 4-2 victory and a 1-3 win, showcasing their dominance. Their recent 3-0 triumph over Lecce solidified their second place in Serie A, marking their seventh consecutive victory. Milan has impressively scored in their last 29 matches across all competitions, with three goals in three of their last four games.

Under new coach Daniele De Rossi, who returned to his beloved club until the end of the season. Roma became a different team compared to the team that could not progress in the game. Ten wins have been recorded since De Rossi’s return, including Saturday’s Derby della Capitale revenge against Lazio. They now sit fifth in the Serie A, which is not enough as Roma look to secure a place in the Champions League for next season. Although they could alternatively secure a place in Europe’s top flight by winning the Europa League.

Milan should capitalize on their home advantage in the match, while Roma is expected to put up a strong fight. It is highly likely that both teams will find the back of the net.

11.04.2024 21:00
EUROPE: EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE – PLAY OFFS – QUARTER-FINALS

Club Brugge KV : PAOK

Club Brugge has made a managerial change after just 10 months, parting ways with former manager Deila. Following a 2-1 loss to St. Truiden in the Belgian Pro League, Deila has been replaced by interim coach Nicky Hayen. Hayen will now look to guide Club Brugge to their first European trophy. Thiago Rodrigues, the Brazilian leading Club Brugge in the Conference League this season, has scored four goals in seven games. The 22-year-old will be aiming to increase his goal tally in the upcoming match.

PAOK secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa Conference League after overcoming a two-goal deficit from the first leg to defeat Dinamo Zagreb 5-1 in the second leg at Stadio Toumbas. PAOK has been in good form domestically as well, collecting seven points from their last three Greek Super League matches, including a 2-2 draw against AEK three days ago.

Anticipate a closely contested game between Club Brugge and PAOK, despite Brugge’s current form. We are confident that the home team will perform well enough to secure a favorable outcome in this match, aiming to gain an edge for the upcoming return leg next week.

11.04.2024 18:45
EUROPE: EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE – PLAY OFFS – QUARTER-FINALS

Olympiacos Piraeus : Fenerbahce

Olympiacos is making a comeback in European football after commencing their season in the Europa League back in August. Despite not finishing in the top two positions in the table, they managed to secure third place with seven points, earning them a spot in the play-offs for the knockout stage of the European Conference League. In the round of 16, they faced Ferencvaros and emerged victorious with a 1-0 win in both matches. They then went on to face Maccabi Tel Aviv in the next round, suffering a 1-4 defeat at home but making a remarkable comeback with a 1-4 away win in regular time. They further sealed their victory by scoring two additional goals in extra time.

Fenerbahce advanced to the group stages alongside Spartak Trnava, Nordsjaelland, and Ludogorets. They secured a spot in the round of 8 by winning the group, after accumulating 12 points from six matches. Subsequently, they faced Royale Union SG from Belgium, achieving a remarkable 0-3 victory as visitors, and then successfully defended their lead in a 0-1 defeat. Their dominance continued in the Turkish Super League with a 2-3 win over Trabzonspor and 4-2 triumph against Adana Demirspor. Recently, they competed against Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Cup final. However, they made a bold statement by fielding a young team and leaving the pitch in protest against the Turkish federation within the first minute of the match.

We expect these two teams to be evenly matched and engage in an open game from both sides, resulting in 3 or more goals in the match.

11.04.2024 21:00
EUROPE: EUROPA LEAGUE – PLAY OFFS – QUARTER-FINALS

Benfica : Marseille

Benfica‘s journey to the next round of the competition was sealed with a 1-0 victory over Rangers in Glasgow, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate score. However, their fortunes took a turn when they suffered back-to-back defeats in the Lisbon derbies against Sporting. Leading to their elimination from the Taca de Portugal semi-finals and a missed opportunity to contend for the top spot in the championship. Manager Roger Schmidt finds himself under mounting pressure, particularly due to his refusal to apologize for the 5-0 loss against Porto last month. Despite this setback, Benfica’s impressive unbeaten record at home in the Europa League, boasting 22 victories and six draws, remains intact.

Marseille’s performance in 2024 has been disappointing. Initially, under interim coach Jean-Louis Gasset, they experienced some success. However, a 3-1 loss to Villarreal in the Europa League Round of 16 second leg marked the beginning of a four-game losing streak. Following a 3-1 defeat to Lille in their last match, Marseille currently sits in eighth place in the League with 39 points, trailing Lens by four points. In addition, they are facing challenges with injured players such as Bilal Nadir, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Valentin Rongier, Michael Amir Murillo, and Pedro Ruiz.

Considering the impressive performance of Benfica when they play in front of their fans, where with 22 wins and six draws they have yet to lose, we expect the home team to win.

11.04.2024 21:00
EUROPE: EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE – PLAY OFFS – QUARTER-FINALS

Aston Villa : Lille

Aston Villa is fighting for a spot in European competitions this season. They are currently in fifth place with 60 points and are comfortable as Manchester United is 11 points behind them. In the last round of the Conference League, Aston Villa eliminated Dutch side Ajax. There were two red cards and surprisingly few shots on goal. In Birmingham, we witnessed the true Aston Villa. When they play in front of their fans, their style of play is different compared to when they play away. They displayed absolute dominance here as well. They scored four goals, neutralized almost all of Ajax’s attacks in the midfield, and defended their goal excellently.

In the Premier League, they drew 3:3 with Brentford in the last round, lost 4:1 to Manchester City, and defeated Wolves 2:0.

Lille advanced to this stage of the tournament by defeating Sturm Graz with a 3-0 win in the first game. Despite Sturm’s attempts to dominate the field in France, Lille’s players quickly took control of the midfield. This forced the guests to rely on counterattacks for scoring opportunities. In the domestic league, Lille currently holds fourth place, securing a spot in the Europa League. However, Nice is trailing behind by five points and still has a chance to compete for that position.

Lille remains undefeated in their last five domestic matches, winning 2:1 to Lens, Brest 1:1, and 2:2 with Rennes. With an average of two goals per game, Lille boasts a strong defense that will pose a challenge for Aston Villa’s attackers.

Given Aston Villa’s and Lille’s high-scoring offenses, more than 2.5 goals are likely in this match, particularly with Villa enjoying home field advantage and a raucous home crowd.