there is something new in this season Europa The Conference League, which not only sees a name change but also a new format for this new competition.
as it happened to me Tips for Europa LeagueThe relegation of teams from higher UEFA competitions changes the method of selecting the winner.
The Conference League features players from a wide range of countries, with just four clubs from Europe’s top five leagues. Chelsea, Real Betis and Fiorentina are the early favourites, but there are other places worth taking a look at, as you can see in my 16/1 and 20/1 selections.
How does the new Conference League format work?
Like other European competitions, the Conference League features a 36-team league stage, in which the top eight teams will qualify for the last 16, and the teams placed ninth to 24th will enter a preliminary knockout round.
Unlike the other two competitions, Conference League teams only play six matches in the first stage.
Conference League Winner Odds
- Chelsea – 7/4
- Real Betis – 4/1
- Fiorentina – 5/1
- Gent – 16/1
- Panathinaikos – 16/1
- Copenhagen – 16/1
- Heidenheim – 16/1
,All odds correct at the time of writing on 1 September 2024 with bet365
There are three big teams in this competition, but each of them has reasons to be against them. Fiorentina have lost the last two Conference League finals, but the manager who got them there – Vincenzo Italiano – has left for Bologna.
Real Betis entered the competition from the Europa League last season and lost to Dinamo Zagreb in the first knockout round. They have been eliminated in the first knockout round in three of their last four campaigns and their lack of European success is a concern.
As for Chelsea, they are the heavy favourites. It might sound ridiculous given their transfer chaos, but they looked short of depth in their qualifying encounter with Servette. A 2-1 second leg defeat to the Swiss side, who exited this competition at the last 16 stage last season, doesn’t give me any confidence in their comeback at 7/4 odds.
Conference League clear predictions
Absolute winner of the Conference League – FC Copenhagen 16/1
Copenhagen’s standing in Europe has fallen sharply since reaching the last 16 of the Champions League last season. Although they lost to Manchester City over two legs earlier this year, surviving defeats to Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Manchester United in the group stage shows their quality.
The Danish team have fallen down to the Conference League after losing a tight battle for the Danish title last season. They finished just four points behind champions Midtjylland, but their third-place finish earned them a place in UEFA’s third-tier tournament.
Copenhagen topped their group in their last appearance in this competition in 2021/22, but lost to a PSV side that was knocked out of the Europa League. The Danish side have nothing to fear from such teams this time around.
Copenhagen lost some key players from last season’s European run, but they have reinvested well. They have brought in defensive depth, added a new goalkeeper in English stopper Nathan Trott from West Ham and they have brought Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney back to the club.
Copenhagen have made a strong start to their Superliga campaign and after their European exploits last season, they are my clear favourites at 16/1.
League Stage Winners – Vitoria Guimaraes at 20/1
All 36 teams are competing in the league stage, so the market for the team that tops the final standings is another interesting betting angle. Vitoria Guimaraes is a team to consider for a strong run at 25/1, but their 20/1 price to advance to the league stage caught my attention.
The Portuguese side had to go through three rounds of qualifiers to reach this stage and they won all six games, scoring 17 times. Last season, Guimaraes finished just nine points behind Porto in the league, a team better known for its success in the Europa League.
The draw has also been good for the Portuguese team, who were seeded in pot three. They will face Fiorentina, one of the top seeds, but beating the Italians at home doesn’t look that bad. Their other five opponents – Djurgården, Astana, Mladá Boleslav, St. Gallen and Celje – look beatable for the Portuguese team.
The matches are well-sketched too, as they take on Fiorentina in their final match and host Celje and Mladá Boleslav in their first three games. Guimarães have already had a great start in Europe this season and could take advantage of this matchlist to get points on the board early. If their strong form continues, you will get a lot of mileage out of their 20/1 price.
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