*matches in all competitions

Steaua last 5 matches: 

Steaua last 3 home matches: 

Larnaca last 5 matches: 

Larnaca last 3 away matches: 

Group J  table positions: Steaua - 3, Larnaca - 4

Only one spot left in Group J of Europa League with Schalke 04 already claiming the top spor, Steaua Bucuresti welcomes AEK Larnaca in a decisive match.

Steaua Bucuresti is currently on the third spot of the group standings with a total of 5 points in all 5 matches played so far. They sit just one point below second Maccabi Haifa and with the same amount of points as their current opponents.

They will need nothing short of a victory in this match and hope that Maccabi will not win against Schalke to claim the second spot and qualify in the next phase of Europa League.  Their form has improved in latest matches and with it so did their confidence and with a packed stadium behind them, Steaua is the clear favorite of this match.

AEK Larnaca, still retaining chances of it’s own to qualify, but as Steaua they will not depend only on their own performance and will have to wait for the other match in Group J.

Great form for them as they managed to win their last 5 games played including a superb and somewhat surprising victory in the UEL over Maccabi. They where regarded as underdogs in their home game against Steaua but the reality in the field was far from expectation with AEK Larnaca attacking and dominating for a good part of the match that ended in a one all draw.

My pick: Steaua Bucuresti to win ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Lazio last 5 matches: 

Lazio last 3 home matches: 

Sporting last 5 matches: 

Sporting last 3 away matches: 

Group D  table positions: Lazio - 2, Sporting - 1

Last matches in Europa League’s group phase with a very interesting situation in Group D where Lazio welcomes Sporting.

Lazio is desperate for a victory in this match to advance into the next stage of the competition. The situation is tricky in the standings as Lazio is second to an already qualified Sporting, but with a total of 6 points, FC Vaslui of Romania can take their place.

TWo victories for them in their last two matches have certainly raised their morale and as the motivated team in this duel they will certainly have the better chance for all 3 points.

Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, escaped the worries of this decisive stage, managing a total of 12 points in all 5 played to take the group’s top spot with a comfortable lead.

Good form for them as well with three straight victories in their last matches but most likely they will rest om of their top players in this trip.

My pick: Lazio to win ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Sporting last 5 matches: 

Sporting last 3 home matches: 

Zurich last 5 matches: 

Zurich last 3 away matches: 

Group D table positions: Sporting - 1, Zurich - 4

Remaining matches from round 5 in Europa League’s Group stage kick off on Thursday with a very exciting fixture in Group D as Sporting Lisbon welcomes FC Zurich.

Sporting Lisbon top the group standings with a total of 9 points in all 4 games played and in need of just one victory in the remeining matches to be sure of qualifying from 1st position.

Alternating form displayed by Sporting in latest matches, among clear victories conceding painful defeats , as the case in the weekend when they lost 1-0 away to rivals Benfica.

FC Zurich on the other hand is last in line as they managed only two points in all 4 games played and although the math still gives them chances to advance, their real odds are close to 0, FC Vaslui of Romania and Italy’s Lazio battling it out for the second spot.

Only one victory for them in their last 5 matches played and no victories in their last three trips make them clear underdogs in this match with slim odds of a change in play against a team such as Sporting.

My pick:  Sporting to win ( over 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Legia last 5 matches: 

Legia last 3 home matches: 

PSV last 5 matches: 

PSV last 3 away matches: 

Group C table positions: Legia - 2, PSV - 1

Europa League kicking off again on Wednesday with last two rounds of this stage and a very interesting fixture in Group C as the top two teams go head to head in Poland’s Legia Warszawa vs the Dutch of PSV.

Legia is second in the group standings as they managed to gather 9 points in all 4 games played, losing just one match away to their current rivals.

Great form for them lately but a surprising defeat suffered in the weekend away to Korona Kielce, failing to profit and take the league’s top spot.

PSV leading in the standings with a total of 10 points, only one above their rivals but with not much pressure on their shoulders as the final outcome of the group is already know. The only question remaining being which of the teams will finish top and which second.

Three straight victories for PSV in recent matches, managing to score no less than 10 goals in them but worrying unable to keep a clean sheet in any.

My pick:  PSV to win ( over 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

AEK Larnaca last 5 matches:

AEK Larnaca last 3 home matches:

Steaua Bucuresti last 5 matches:

Steaua Bucuresti last 3 away matches: 

Thursday bring Europa League’s second group round and in the complicated Group J we take a look at the AEK Larnaca vs Steaua Bucuresti fixture.

AEK Larnaca is a new team in European Competitions so their low experience seems to be a great impediment. They lost the opening game away to Maccabi Haifa by the slightest or margins two week ago and will not be able to play defender Ander Murillo in this one due to a suspension.

They are currently third in the Cyprus league with a total of 8 points in 4 matches played winning their last two games for a good morale boost.

Steaua Bucharest, a team with tradition in European tournaments has had a rough time in recent years, poor management and lack of investments in player left the club battling mid table.

Steaua managed a goalless draw in the first round against group favorites Schalke 04 and although this could be viewed as a positive results, the match itself was one of the poorest I have seen in a while from both teams. After announcing that they where aiming for the trophy the team is now only on the 9th spot of the domestic league with a total of just 11 points in 8 games played, managing only a draw last week against newly promoted Sportul.

My pick:  Steaua Bucuresti to win ( under 2.5 goals )

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*matches in all competitions

Besiktas last 5 matches:

Besiktas last 3 home matches:

M. Tel Aviv last 5 matches:

M. Tel Aviv last 3 away matches: 

After the Champions League, Thursday is the day for Europa league to make it’s debut as the Group stage begins. Among no less than 24 matches that are played Besiktas is set to welcome Maccabi Tel Aviv in Group E.

Besiktas regarded as clear favorite against Maccabi Tel Aviv as they are expected to be in a direct battle with Dynamo Kyiv for the group’s top spot.

They had a poor start to the new season as they lost the opening stage in the Turkish Super Lig as they where defeated away to Eskişehirspor 2-1 the final score thaws continuing their weak game play in away matches.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, a team that is known in Europe for surprising results, a team with a great potential but which at first glance will have a though time qualifying in the next phase.

A perfect run for them so far in the domestic league as they managed to will all 3 games played and grab the top spot early on.

My pick:  Besiktas to win ( over 2.5 goals )

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*matches in all competitions

Atletico Madrid last 5 matches:

Atletico Madrid last 3 home matches:

Vitoria Guimaraes last 5 matches:

Vitoria Guimaraes last 3 away matches: 

One of the last matches of the day in the Europa League playoff round as Atletico Madrid welcomes Portuguese neighbors Vitoria Guimaraes.

Atletico Madrid as favorites for this match especially after their summer friendly campaign and the strong performance in the previous round of the UEL when they disposed of Norway’s Strømsgodset.

The loss of goalscorer Hun Aguero will certainly leave a gap in their offensive play but Atletico seems to have the position covered with experienced players.

Vitoria Guimaraes up against one of the most powerful opponents in this stage of the competition making their chances to qualify in the group stage, and especially getting a positive result in this first match, very small.

One of their main advantages over the Spanish rivals is that the Portuguese Primeira Liga has already started so fitness levels should be higher. Their opening match against Porto was no doubt a good repetition for this one and the giants victory by the slightest of margins puts an emphasis on the defensive strength of Vitoria Guimaraes.

My pick:  Atletico Madrid to win ( under 2.5 goals )

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*matches in all competitions

Lazio last 5 matches:

Lazio last 3 home matches:

Rabotnicki last 5 matches:

Rabotnicki last 3 away matches: 

Final preliminary round in the Europa League competition on Thursday with the first of the double leg knock-out as Lazio welcomes Rabotnicki.

Lazio the clear favorite in this duel as their last season’s performance when they achieved the 5th spot in the Serie A will certainly demand a European participation.

Their domestic league is still 2 weeks for now and this might prove problematic especially in terms of fitness levels but their recent friendly matches results have been good.

Rabotnicki of Macedonia is the underdog here with slim chances for a positive result here but a chance as the decisive match will be played on their home ground.

They have already started the new season and with 3 matches played in Macedonia’s First League, Rabotnicki sits on the third spot of the table after two victories and one defeat.

My pick:  Lazio to win ( over 2.5 goals )

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*matches in all competitions

Austria Wien last 5 matches:

Austria Wien 3 home matches:

Olimpija last 5 matches:

Olimpija last 3 away matches:

Europa League preliminaries 3rd round on Thursday with the return legs and Austria Wien welcoming Olimpija after a rather surprising one all draw last week.

Austria Wien, the undisputed favorite in this knock out stage, managed only a draw in their trip to Slovenia last week as they where leveled in the 60′ minute after leading from the 30′ minute on.

Not the best of forms for them right now as they managed only 4 points in the Austrian Bundesliga in all 3 rounds played including the weekend draw against the modest Wacker Innsbruck team.

Olimpija apparently more accustomed to the competition this season as they already passed two rounds, eliminating Siroki Brijeg of Bosnia and Ireland’s Bohemians.

The will have a though time ahead as not only Austria Wien’s game play is far superior on home ground but their own style is very poor in away games.

My pick:  Austria Wien to win ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Gaziantepspor last 5 matches:

Gaziantepspor 3 home matches:

Minsk last 5 matches:

Minsk last 3 away matches:

Another match that has yet to reveal the team qualified in the next round of Europa League preliminaries as Gaziantepspor and Minsk finished undecided one all the final score in the first leg of the knock-out.

Gaziantepspor was the favorite in the books even for the difficult trip to Belarus last week but the team that managed to finish above Besiktas and Galatasaray last season failed to impress and even more got the result thanks to an own goal by Mink’s midfielder A. Sachivko.

Although after a very good season the Turkish side showed real problems in their friendly matches with a poor offensive and rather weak defense.

Minsk finished third in last year’s season of the Belarus Premier League showing most of all a good balance between matches played at home and away, a strong point that will no doubt give them a good morale for this difficult return leg.

Their other main advantage in the they are in the middle of the season as Belarus play’s the Spring-Autumn system due to the weather but their current results lack to be desired as they are only on the 10th spot from a total of 12 with little chances of vast improvement.

My pick:  Gaziantepspor to win ( under 2.5 goals )