The Europa League campaign gets back underway on Wednesday evening and there are four matches taking place, including Manchester United’s clash against LASK at Old Trafford.
Basaksehir to Down Danish Opponents
At 17:55, Copenhagen welcome Istanbul Basaksehir to Telia Parken and it is the visitors who hold the advantage heading into this contest, having won the first leg of this last-16 clash 1-0, thanks to a strike from Edin Visca.
Since that game back in March, Istanbul, who were only formed in 1990, won their first-ever Turkish Super Lig title and Copenhagen finished runners-up in the Danish Superliga, 14 points behind champions FC Midtjylland.
All of Basaksehir’s focus will be on adding another trophy to their cabinet and they have taken the Europa League seriously this season, knocking out Sporting Lisbon in the last 32 after topping a section which featured Roma, Borussia Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg.
Copenhagen have managed just two wins from their last eight matches and it is hard to see them overcoming an Istanbul side that were among the best Super Lig clubs on the road this season, losing only four of their 17 away matches in the league.
The Turkish outfit are 33/20 to win the match and that looks a very generous price given the contrasting form of both teams.
Shakhtar to Book Quarter-Final Spot
Also at 17:55, Shakhtar Donetsk play host to Wolfsburg in the second leg of their last-32 tie and it is hard to go against the home side for this one as they hold a 2-1 advantage from their trip to Germany.
The Ukrainian outfit were crowned league champions for the 13th time this season, finishing 23 points clear of Dynamo Kiev, and they are on a 13-game unbeaten run, which includes four friendlies, heading into Wednesday’s clash.
As for Wolfsburg, they have just one win from their last four matches across all competitions although they do have a great away record in the Europa League, having not lost any of the previous nine outings.
It still looks a bridge too far for the Bundesliga side and Shakhtar, on home soil, look like the team to back to win the contest at 7/4.
Inter to Dispatch La Liga Outfit
Inter Milan and Getafe will do battle at 20:00 in a single-leg last-16 Europa League tie at the Veltins-Arena in Germany and it looks like for all the money in the world that the Italian side will be progressing.
Antonio Conte’s men finished the Serie A season in second, just one point behind Juventus, and they are on an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with clean sheets being kept in their last four outings.
Getafe have picked up just one win from their last 12 games, a run of results which saw them finish out of the European positions in La Liga, while they have conceded six goals from the last four matches.
Inter are in fine scoring form, scoring 16 times during this unbeaten run, and they are fancied to come out on top in Wednesday’s encounter at 20/27, while a win to zero at 7/5 also appeals.
Stroll in the Park for United
The fourth and final game takes place at Old Trafford at 20:00 as Manchester United, holding a comfortable 5-0 advantage from the first leg, take on Austrian outfit LASK.
United have lost just one of their 11 matches since the resumption (an FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea) and that impressive run of form helped them finish third in the Premier League, securing a place in next season’s Champions League.
The Red Devils have also not lost at home in the Europa League in their last 13 games and that record should be extended when they take on an out-of-sorts LASK, who have lost their three league games on the bounce.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to make changes to his starting XI, giving some youngsters some game time, but the experienced Odion Ighalo is set to lead the line and he is 10/11 to score anytime.
*All odds correct at time of writing
