Romahost Real Betis in supremacy clash
The two favourites for Group C supremacy clash at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, as Roma and Real Betis continue their Europa League campaigns.
With a perfect record so far, the visitors arrive in the Eternal City leading their hosts by three points in the standings, while both are faring well domestically. Beaten on the opening day of the Europa League group stage, Roma lost to Bulgarian champions Ludogorets at the start of September, but then bounced back with a victory over HJK Helsinki last time out.
Set to meet Real Betis twice in short order, with the return fixture in Seville scheduled a week after Thursday’s encounter at the Olimpico, the Giallorossi cannot afford to slip up – particularly as Ludogorets may well take maximum points from their double-header with HJK.
Now hosting their Spanish counterparts for the first time ever in a competitive game, Roma have gone unbeaten throughout their last 20 home matches in Europe; winning 14 times in the process.After seeing off HJK in their first Europa League fixture, Betis were pushed closer by Ludogorets last time out; ultimately winning 3-2 at Benito Villamarin. They therefore sit at the summit of Group C, and can exert a stranglehold on its leadership should they come out on top in their tussles with Roma.
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Arsenal seek second win against Bodø/Glimt
Arsenal will seek a second win from as many matches in the 2022-23 Europa League when they welcome Norway’s Bodo/Glimt to the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners opened their continental proceedings with a 2-1 win over FC Zurich, while their visitors have taken four points from their opening two games to sit atop the rankings.
With no fewer than nine matches being played this month, Arsenal’s improving squad depth will come to the fore in domestic and continental action, and Arteta’s side welcome Bodo/Glimt. Bodo/Glimt certainly command plenty of respect having made waves in Europe over the past 12 months, and Arsenal are sure to keep their best players in reserve for the imminent showdown with Liverpool.
However, Arteta’s youthful attackers are ready to seize their opportunity with both hands, and we can only envisage the Gunners making it two for two in the Europa League.
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Zürichwelcome PSV Eindhoven to Letzigrund Stadion
Round three of the 2022-23 Europa League group-stage campaign sees FC Zurich welcome PSV Eindhoven to the Letzigrund Stadion.With the teams yet to pick up a victory from the opening two matchdays, they will both be keen to come away with all three points in this one.
PSV turn their attention to continental affairs where they currently sit third in Group A, albeit with a game in hand as their meeting against Arsenal originally scheduled for September 15 was postponed due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Zurich have on the other hand snapped a three-game losing streak across three different competitions which they suffered prior to the international break. Off the back of three straight home defeats heading into Thursday’s clash, the hosts have it all to do in their quest to avoid another disappointing outing in front of their fans.Zurich have endured a poor start to the current campaign and PSV will be aiming to add to their woes.
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Omonia Nicosia in high-profile clash with Manchester United
Manchester United will fly out to Cyprus to take on Omonia Nicosia in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. The Cypriot side have lost their first two group stage games against Sheriff Tiraspol and Real Sociedad.
Since their 2-1 defeat against Real Sociedad, Omonia have picked up two wins on the trot in the league, namely against Paralimni and Doxa.Neil Lennon’s men have also managed to keep a clean sheet in both games and that’s an encouraging turn of events ahead of their high-profile clash with Manchester United. They are in desperate need of a positive result as another defeat might be too difficult to recover from in Group E.
They will be hoping that they can hurt their wounded opponents, who will be quite downcast after their 6-3 loss to Manchester City last Sunday.
Fans will be hoping to see a response from their side on Thursday and United have a great chance to bounce back against relatively weaker opposition.
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Underdogs Sheriff in search of 2nd win against Sociedad
Moldovan champions Sheriff Tiraspol welcome Spanish opposition to the Sheriff Stadium for just the second time in their history, as they take on an in-form Real Sociedad.Fearless as always, having racked up 24 shots across those two games, the European minnows, Sheriff Tiraspol, are a completely different side from the one that shocked the world last season, with their unbelievable 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
It is a remarkable underdog story, but a competitive performance against Manchester United suggests that the Moldovans cannot be completely disregarded as they go in search of a second Spanish scalp in as many years.
After their impressive, if controversial, 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, Imanol Alguacil‘s Real Sociedad are top of Group E, after two narrow wins from two.
Sheriff seem to have a clean bill of health heading into this European encounter, and could go with the same side that faced both Omonia and Manchester United in their previous group-stage games.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
