Thursday’s football this week sees the Europa League and Conference League play-offs conclude, with the likes of Ajax, Fiorentina and Chelsea looking to seal their places in the group stages.
Our advice focuses on Chelsea’s trip to Servette, Hearts’ second leg clash with Viktoria Plzen in Edinburgh and Latvian side RFS’ trip to Cyprus, where they will take on APOEL.
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Bet of the Day
Viktoria Plzen beat Hearts @ 20/21
An own goal by Daniel Oyegoke in the 96th minute broke Scottish hearts as Hearts lost 1-0 to Viktoria Plzen in their first leg in Czechia and the Edinburgh side’s recent form could see them knocked out of the competition with a defeat.
They are yet to win a competitive match this season, losing four of their five games in all competitions, and the goal scored by Yutaro Oda in their 3-1 defeat to Motherwell last time out was just their second goal of the campaign.
Meanwhile, the visitors have more reasons to cheer as the Czechs have won seven of their eight games in the league and continental competition, keeping six clean sheets in that period.
This defensive strength, combined with the hosts’ poor batting, will make it a tough task for Hearts to overturn a one-goal deficit.
Plzen have scored 12 goals in five league games this season and so they should have enough attack to register a win.
Today’s Special
Chelsea win and over 2.5 goals @ 49/40
Chelsea performed brilliantly at the weekend with a 6-2 win over Wolves and the Blues can get their name on the scoresheet once again when they travel to Switzerland to face Servette.
Enzo Maresca’s side take a two-goal lead into the second leg after goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke ensured a 2-0 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge, with Noni Madueke scoring a hat-trick at the weekend.
Servette, meanwhile, has won just one of its last six games in all competitions – losing four – and four of those have resulted in at least three goals, so it could be a good day for Chelsea’s attacking talents.
Longest shot of the day
RFS beat APOEL @ 19/4
Latvian side RFS have never qualified for the group stages of the Europa League – their only appearance in the UEFA competition came in the Conference League in 2022/23 – but they will hope APOEL’s recent poor form can help them make history on Thursday night.
RFS won the first leg 2–1 in Riga thanks to goals from Cedric Kouadio and Janis Ikouniks, and have won six of their last seven games, as well as avoiding defeat in each of their last four games on the road.
APOEL reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2012 but currently look far from their former form, having won none of their last four games – all played at continental level – and may fail to overturn their first-leg defeat.
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