Matches
Prediction
Odds
% of winning
Hoffenheim vs Spurs
Draw
27%
Qarabag vs FCSB
FCSB to win
32%
Man United vs Rangers
Man United to win
71%
Lazio vs Real Sociedad
Lazio to win
47%
Union SG vs Braga
Union SG to win
52%
Hoffenheim enter this match brimming with confidence, unbeaten in their three home Europa League games (W1 D2). The Germans brushed Dynamo Kiev to one side 2-0, before impressively holding Lyon to a 2-2 draw. Spurs will find it tough to snag the points.
Tottenham have done OK on their travels (W1 D1 L1), but their focus might be divided as the English club grapples with challenges in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou has rotated his starting XI heavily during the group stage, and with Hoffenheim only conceding two at home, both teams can walk away with a point.
Qarabag have had no joy competing at this level, picking up just three points from a possible 18. Playing their home games at a neutral stadium hasn’t been beneficial. They’ve lost all three matches in Azerbaijan, scoring just twice and conceding nine.
FCSB, on the other hand, have so far exceeded expectations, sitting in the 10th spot with 11 points. Wins against PAOK and Midtjylland, as well as solid draws against Olympiacos and Hoffenheim, have shown they belong at this level – and can advance to the next round. An away win seems probable, especially with such enticing odds.
Man United have endured mixed results in the Europa League, but if they are to be considered as one of the favourites to win the competition, this is a match they need to win.
However, Rangers have performed incredibly well in this competition, thrashing Nice 4-1 away from home, as well as beating Malmo and drawing with Olympiacos. It won’t be as easy for the hosts as some might expect.
Yet, Rangers have never scored at Old Trafford, and with Man United heading into this on the back of positive results against Liverpool, Arsenal and Southampton, they can edge past their slightly inferior Scottish opponents.
Lazio head into Round 7 sitting top of the tree with 16 points, remaining unbeaten at home after three games. Domestically, they’ve underperformed, but the Europa League has been a welcome distraction, and a competition they’re excelling in.
Real Sociedad have only lost one of their three away games, but that came against Plzen, when the Spanish club delivered a poor performance and eventually lost 2-0.
Lazio fans are optimistic that their strong group stage performance will help them regain momentum. With just three goals conceded in six matches, a single goal could be sufficient to outpace their opponents.
Union SG, despite playing their home games at a neutral venue, have excelled. The Belgian club are unbeaten on home soil (W1 D2), but they understand that securing more home points is crucial to advancing to the next round.
The good news is that they face a team that has been hopeless on the road, collecting just one point from a possible nine, and have scored just once on their travels.
Braga have been hugely disappointing, having stood no chance against Roma in their last outing, which ended in a 3-0 defeat. Union SG aren’t on Roma’s level, but will be confident against a team that have struggled on the road this campaign without the support of their fans.
Our Europa League predictions for Matchday 7 argue that Hoffenheim and Tottenham can share the points, before FCSB can edge past Qarabag in Azerbaijan. Man United shouldn’t have too many issues against Rangers, while Lazio can overpower Real Sociedad in Italy. Union SG, despite playing at a neutral stadium, can beat Braga who are poor on the road. Please gamble on the Europa League responsibly.