Today’s UEFA Europa League Fixtures & Preview

Man United travel to Romania to take on FCSB

Seeking to secure automatic qualification for the last 16 of the Europa LeagueManchester United travel to Romania to take on FCSB at the National Arena in their final League Phase fixture today.

The two teams will face each other for the very first time in Bucharest and are separated by only one point in the 36-team standings.

It has been far from a bed of roses at Old Trafford since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, but positives can be taken from Man United’s run of three wins in their last four matches across all competitions, even if their performances were far from convincing.

Since Amorim labelled his Red Devils squad as “maybe the worst” in the club’s history following a 3-1 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League, Man United have won by a one-goal margin in their last two matches, with a 2-1 Europa League victory over Rangers last week, followed by a 1-0 success at Fulham on Sunday.

With Man United now sitting 12th in the Premier League table and 11 points behind the top seven, the Europa League arguably represents their best chance of securing European football for next season, and they are in a strong position to secure automatic qualification for the last 16.

Each of Man United’s last three Europa League wins have come by a one-goal margin and another closely-fought contest could be on the cards on Thursday between two teams determined not to lose as they endeavour to maintain their position in the top eight.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Tottenham welcome Elfsborg to North London

Tottenham Hotspur will put their dismal Premier League campaign to one side when they welcome Elfsborg to North London for their final League Phase fixture in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham

Since putting Manchester City to the sword 4-0 at the end of November last year, Tottenham have alarmingly lost eight of their last 11 Premier League matches (W1 D2), with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Leicester City last weekend.

The damning defeat has since raised question marks over the future of manager Ange Postecoglou, who has come under increased pressure to turn the club’s fortunes around amidst a well-documented injury crisis.

Indeed, Postecoglou’s men ended a three-match winless run in the Europa League by beating Hoffenheim 3-2 in Germany last week and they now sit sixth in the 36-team table, knowing that a win over Elfsborg will guarantee automatic qualification for the last 16. However, a draw or defeat could put them in danger of slipping into the playoffs.

It is difficult to back a struggling, injury-hit Spurs side at present, but they will be regarded as favourites to get the better of a relatively youthful Elfsborg team.

If the hosts are boosted by a couple of players returning from injury, then they will fancy their chances of edging past their Swedish counterparts who have lost each of their last three European away matches.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Sociedad, PAOK look to secure spots in playoff round

Real Sociedad and PAOK will both be looking to secure their spots in the Europa League playoff round when they lock horns in Thursday’s meeting at the Reale Arena.

La Real occupy 18th place in the league phase with 10 points to their name, while PAOK are sitting just one spot above their hosts on goal difference.

Take Kubo, Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad have experienced mixed fortunes in the inaugural league phase, having won three, drawn one and lost three of their seven matches.

After taking a point from their first two games, Real Sociedad went on to claim a 2-1 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, before they conceded late to lose 2-1 in their away meeting with Viktoria Plzen on matchday four.

La Real got their European campaign back on track with home wins against Ajax and Dynamo Kiev, but they were unable to make it three consecutive Europa League victories in last week’s trip to the Italian capital as they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Lazio.

PAOK may have won their last three European matches, but they have lost two of their three away games in the league phase, and with that in mind, we think that they will fall just short against a Real Sociedad side that have won their previous two home Europa League fixtures.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

Galatasaray to retain their unbeaten status against Ajax

Looking to retain their unbeaten status for the entirety of the league phase, Galatasaray will visit the home of Ajax in the Europa League on Thursday night.

De Godenzonen are set to be involved in the playoff round next month, whilst Cimbom are still fighting for an automatic spot in the last 16 of the competition.

 

Brian Brobbey, Ajax

Following a sobering fifth-placed finish in the Eredivisie during the 2023-24 campaign, Dutch giants Ajax are beginning to slowly ascend towards the top of European football once again, with Thursday night’s hosts practically assured of a place in the top 24 of the Europa League.

Collecting 10 points from their first seven matches of the league phase, De Godenzonen are sitting in 16th position in the 36-team rankings, meaning that an extraordinary set of results would need to occur to knock the Eredivisie side out of the competition on the final matchday.

That being said, there was a shock result for Ajax last Thursday night, when Francesco Farioli‘s troops were stunned by Latvian minnows Rigas Futbola Skola.

With two European heavyweights clashing in Amsterdam, we are expecting a hard-fought affair between Ajax and Galatasaray on Thursday night.

Cimbom will be desperate to earn three points but will also be cautious of losing their unbeaten status, so a share of the points seems to be the most likely outcome.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

 

FIXTURES

Ajax versus Galatasaray

Anderlecht 20:00 Hoffenheim

Athletic Club 20:00 Viktoria Plzeň

Dynamo Kyiv 20:00  Rīgas FS

FCSB 20:00 Manchester United

Ferencváros 20:00 AZ

Maccabi Tel Aviv 20:00 Porto

Midtjylland 20:00 Fenerbahçe

Nice 20:00  Bodø / Glimt

Olympiakos Piraeus 20:00 Qarabağ

Olympique Lyonnais 20:00 Ludogorets

Rangers 20:00 Union Saint-Gilloise

Real Sociedad 20:00 PAOK

Roma 20:00 Eintracht Frankfurt

Slavia Prague 20:00 Malmö FF

Sporting Braga 20:00 Lazio

Tottenham Hotspur 20:00 Elfsborg

Twente 20:00 Beşiktaş 

 

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