For all the focus on the Champions League quarter-finals this week, the Europa League and Conference League might be where there is the best chance of English glory this season.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are among the eight sides still left in the Europa League, while Crystal Palace are involved in the Conference League quarter-finals. All three teams could get their hands on a European trophy.
The Athletic runs through some of the best bets in the matches involving English teams in the Europa League and Conference League quarter-final first legs.
Bologna vs Aston Villa
Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Thursday, April 9
Unai Emery is a Europa League specialist. No manager has won the competition more times than the Spaniard, who has lifted the famous trophy no fewer than four times over the course of his career.
At 7/4, Aston Villa are favourites to give Emery a fifth Europa League triumph this season having already seen off Lille in the round of 16.
Unai Emery is a four-time Europa League winner (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Bologna, however, will be tough opponents. Indeed, the Serie A side have yet to lose at home in the Europa League this season, seeing off Roma over two legs in the last round to make the final eight.
Not so long ago, Bologna’s season appeared to be on a downward trajectory as they won just two out of 13 games in a period stretching until mid-February. Since then, though, they have won eight out of 11 in all competitions.
Nonetheless, six of Villa’s Europa League wins this season have come with a clean sheet. There could be value in backing Bologna to register under 0.5 goals at 15/8, such is the defensive strength of Emery’s side.
Boubacar Kamara and Jadon Sancho will be missing through injury when Aston Villa travel to Italy, but Emery otherwise has a full squad of players to pick from. Bologna, on the other hand, could be without as many as six first-team figures.
Ollie Watkins is a generous 17/10 to score at any time while Villa are 3/5 to return home with a lead for next week’s second leg.
Porto vs Nottingham Forest
Estadio Do Dragao, Thursday, April 9
Nottingham Forest had to overcome a first-leg deficit to get past FC Midtjylland and make the Europa League quarter-finals, beating the Danish outfit in a tense penalty shootout.
Despite being embroiled in a relegation battle to stay in the Premier League, Forest remain on course for continental glory — although a last eight tie against Porto presents a significant challenge to Vitor Pereira and his players.
Porto are unbeaten in their last 13 home matches in all competitions and have lost just once in front of their own supporters all season. This explains why they’re priced as 23/20 favourites to win Thursday’s first leg.
Behind Aston Villa, Porto are 4/1 second-favourites to win this season’s Europa League, highlighting the strength of the team that is also sitting five points clear at the top of the Liga Portugal table.
Both teams have scored in four of Porto’s last five Europa League fixtures, while the same is true for Nottingham Forest in two of their last three games in the competition.
Both teams to score is priced at 20/23, reflecting the attacking threat of one of the competition favourites and a team that boasts the Europa League’s joint-top scorer in Igor Jesus.
Crystal Palace vs Fiorentina
Selhurst Park, Thursday, April 9
Crystal Palace’s route to this stage of the Conference League has not been smooth. Indeed, the Eagles have won just two of their last five fixtures in the competition even as they have moved through each round to this point.
Fiorentina, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions and are 11/2 third-favourites to win this season’s Conference League having made the competition’s final in two of the last three years.
Ismaila Sarr has been prolific for Crystal Palace (Chara Savvidou/Getty Images)
Ismaila Sarr is among the Conference League’s top scorers this season having found the back of the net five times. The Palace winger is 5/6 to score or assist against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park on Thursday.
Three times in five games, Palace’s matches in the Conference League have featured over 2.5 goals. It’s 4/5 to back this trend to continue on Thursday night with Oliver Glasner’s team up against the visitors from Serie A.
Fiorentina are 6/5 double chance to win or draw at Selhurst Park, which, considering Palace’s recent inconsistency and La Viola’s strength in the Conference League, could be worth backing.
