Europa League: Fixtures, Preview and Prediction
Europa League: Fixtures, Preview and Predictions
The Europa League returns on August 5 and 6, with the remaining round of 16 fixtures set to be played to a conclusion.
Six of the games will be the second leg of their respective ties, while Inter Milan vs Getafe and Sevilla vs Roma have been reduced to single knockout games.
The format of the final phase of the competition has been revised with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all now set to be staged as one-off ties in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
United on Course to Progress
Manchester United are favourites to win the Europa League with the bookmakers listed at betbonuskode.dk and it would be a brave move to back against them achieving the feat.
United have a 5-0 lead over LASK heading into the second leg of their tie and every football blog you read expect the Red Devils to comfortably progress to a quarter-final against either FC Copenhagen or Istanbul Basaksehir.
The newly-crowned Turkish champions are fancied to reach the last eight having looked much the better team during their first meeting with Copenhagen.
Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk look good bets to win their respective ties on Wednesday, while it would be a big surprise if either Bayer Leverkusen or Basel slipped up the following day.
Five-time Europa League winners Sevilla should have enough about them to defeat Roma and Wolverhampton Wanderers are expected to prove too strong for Olympiakos.
Sevilla and Inter Look Dangerous
The Europa League draw has been kind to United and it would be a major surprise if they failed to progress to at least the semi-finals.
Things will be much tougher thereafter with one of Sevilla, Roma, Wolves or Olympiakos scheduled to meet the Red Devils in the last four.
Sevilla appeal as the most likely team to make it through given their excellent record in this competition, although they could have their work cut out against Roma in the round of 16.
Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen are the standout teams in the other half of the draw, but are on a collision course to meet in the quarter-finals.
Whichever side wins that game would be favourites to reach the final and would undoubtedly provide stiff opposition for whoever they face.
Europa League Fixtures
Round of 16
Wednesday, August 5
FC Copenhagen vs Istanbul Basaksehir (agg 0-1)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Wolfsburg (agg 2-1)
Inter Milan vs Getafe – one-legged tie
Manchester United Utd vs LASK (agg 5-0)
Thursday, August 6
Bayer Leverkusen vs Rangers (agg 3-1)
Sevilla vs Roma – one-legged tie
Basel vs Eintracht Frankfurt (agg 3-0)
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Olympiakos (agg 1-1)
Quarter-Finals
Monday, August 10
LASK or Man Utd vs Istanbul Basaksehir or Copenhagen
Inter Milan or Getafe vs Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen
Tuesday, August 11
Wolfsburg or Shakhtar Donetsk vs Eintracht Frankfurt or Basel
Olympiakos or Wolves vs Sevilla or Roma
Semi-Finals
Sunday, August 16
Winners of QF4 vs Winners of QF1
Monday, August 17
Winners of QF2 vs Winners of QF3
Final
Friday, August 21
Winners of SF1 vs Winners of SF2
Europa League Prediction: United ended the Premier League season in fine form and look a good bet to finish the campaign by winning the Europa League. Inter Milan are expected to progress from the other half of the draw, but the Red Devils should prove too classy in the final.