BetXChange delivers previews for the first legs of the Europa League quarterfinals. Four interesting matches of the second-most prominent club competition in the world, and a few lines about each one.
Ajax vs. Roma
Arguably the most sounding match of the entire round. Two clubs with rich history and ambitions to win the trophy here and not only secure the ticket to the next edition of the Champions League. Also, they both want to add one more piece of silverware to their respective collections.
Ajax has 18 wins, and two draws over the last 20 matches, looking incredibly strong. Their previous loss was in December last year, against Atalanta, once they closed the UCL adventure. They have scored three or more goals in four of the recent five matches at home, making each event at Amsterdam Arena very efficient.
Roma, meanwhile, isn’t that great, with just one triumph over the most recent four events. Paulo Fonseca’s side allowed at least two goals in all those failures, looking very vulnerable in the backline.
This is the reason why we back up Ajax’s win. The hosts are stunning in Amsterdam, and mediocre Roma won’t be too big of a problem for them.
Pick: Ajax 0.95 at BetXChange
Arsenal vs Slavia Prague
The Gunners are playing with the biggest surprise of the entire campaign, the Czech powerhouse, Slavia. Mikel Arteta’s side is in trouble with two losses and a draw over the past three games, and as usual, looks very inconsistent.
On the other side, the Czech’s are dominating their domestic competitions, plus play well in the EL. At the moment, they didn’t concede a single goal over the previous four games, including the one in Glasgow against the Rangers once they eliminated the Scots, 0-2.
We expect them to be ultra-defensive at Etihad, while on the other side, the Gunners look overwhelmed with troubles and problems, which is why Arteta won’t be in the mood for attacking too much.
Pick: Under 2.5 goals 0.90 at BetXChange
Dinamo Zagreb vs Villarreal
The Croatian team is also one colossal surprise, and their win over Tottenham in Zagreb, 3-0, was something that shocked entire Europe. They are now riding on that wave, and get ready to face yet another heavyweight in the competition. Dinamo plays tough football, rarely allowing goals (three times in the last 10 games).
The Yellow Submarine targeted its form perfectly, having five consecutive victories, in all of them netting twice at least. Villarreal is a tactically very well-endowed team and knows how to play on the result. Also, nine of the last 10 events they had saw a moderate efficiency, 2 or 3 goals.
Because of the game’s significance, we are going with under 2.5 goals, because both sides are going to be quiet and wait for the rival’s mistake.
Pick: Under 2.5 goals 0.65 at BetXChange
Granada vs Manchester United
The Spanish team reached the EL quarterfinals in its first season on the international stage. Though, the matchup with the Red Devils is coming in the worst possible moment, as they have three losses in a row, conceding twice at least in each.
On the other hand, we have Man Utd, who is one of the most complicated teams in Europe when it comes to betting. To be honest, nobody knows what to pick in their case. There is a pattern when Solskjaer’s side plays on the road – seven clean sheets in 10 matches, suggesting that the defense is the primary weapon in that case.
We’ll give them a slight edge in this case, and risk a little bit by betting on their victory.
Pick: Manchester United 0.60 at BetXChange
