Sports Blog 25/02/2016: Match Preview – UEFA Europa League Round of 32 2nd Leg, Thursday 25th February 2016

A fairly dismal set of 1st leg results leaves the remaining English sides in the Europa League with a lot to do this Thursday evening.

First up is a poorly timed tie for Liverpool, who host Augsburg at 8pm on BT Sport Europe. Frustratingly for Jurgen Klopp Liverpool go in Thursday needing a result following the lifeless (and goalless) 1st leg in Germany, just days ahead of the one competition that actually stand a real chance of winning: the League Cup. Klopp now faces the difficult decision of deciding what kind of team to play, whether to ‘do a Pellegrini’ and take a risk on a weaker side to ensure his best players are available for the arguably more important game, or play his first 11 and hope for the best. Reports suggest Klopp is going to be bolder than his City counterpart, risking the recently returned Daniel Sturridge (at a Super Mega PGM of 44-51) and Philippe Coutinho (at a Super Mega PGM of 24-29), a strategy that has near equal opportunity to be either a dream or a disaster.



Unlike Liverpool Augsburg will have been happy with that goalless draw last Thursday; it means the German side only need a goal to cause some real issues for the home side thanks to the away goal rule. Not that Augsburg are particularly fearsome up front; in their last 8 games they have only managed 4 goals, whilst their top scorer is right-back Paul Verhaegh (at a paltry Super Mega PGM spread of 2.5-5). All in all our Spreadex traders are expecting a routine win on home turf, offering a Liverpool/Augsburg Goal Supremacy spread of 1.35-1.55 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.7-2.9; however, Klopp’s side have a predilection for complicating matters, so things might not be so easy come game time.

Tottenham have less to do on Thursday evening, but will have to be careful against Fiorentina, the side that knocked them out at this stage last season, at 8.05pm on BT Sport ESPN. Whilst Spurs eventually relinquished their lead in Italy, a first half penalty from Nacer Chadli (who heads into tonight at a Super Mega PGM of 24-29) means the North London side can settle for a 0-0 draw and still progress to the last 16. That’s a good thing given that Tottenham will be missing a major part of their forward thrust on Thursday, Harry Kane out with a broken nose sustained during the side’s 1-0 FA Cup exit to Crystal Palace last weekend. Pressure, then, will be on Erik Lamela (with 5 goals in the Europa League so far, and a Super Mega PGM of 15-19) and Dele Alli (at a Super Mega PGM of 18-22) to compensate for Kane’s absence.



Yet Fiorentina won’t make it easy for Spurs; whilst Federico Bernardeschi’s 3rd goal for the club drew them level the Italian side could have easily got another, and will be aiming for a repeat of last season’s 2nd leg victory. A 3-2 win over Atalanta last weekend will have only buoyed Fiorentina’s confidence; it took their unbeaten streak to 7, and sees them keeping up the pace in Serie A, the side sitting in 3rd behind Juventus and Napoli. They also have the benefit of not one but two star forwards, with Nikola Kalinic and Josip Ilicic, both on 12 goals apiece, at Super Mega PGMs of 19-23 and 13-17 respectively. However Spurs’ defeat on Sunday was a rare blip for them this season and Spreadex fancy the English side to progress, offering a Tottenham/Fiorentina Goal Supremacy spread of 0.5-0.7 with a Total Goals spread of 2.5-2.7.

Finally we turn to Manchester United, who have far more to do than they should when they host Midtjylland at 8.05pm on BT Sport 2. In what was not only the worst moment of Louis van Gaal’s tenure, but one of the club’s worst moments in Europe for a long, long time, Manchester United lost to the Danish 2-1 despite Memphis Depay opening proceedings during the first half. It was a miserable night made all the worse by the fact that David de Gea suffered a knee injury during the warm up, an injury that keeps him out of tonight’s game. Also absent is Wayne Rooney, meaning that Anthony Martial (at a Super Mega PGM of 49-57) and Juan Mata (scorer of United’s 2nd in their 3-0 FA Cup win over Shrewsbury on Monday) will be once again lead the charge going forwards.



What was a galling night for van Gaal was perhaps the greatest evening in Midtjylland’s history, something they will be desperate to replicate when they travel to Old Trafford. Yet it might be a bit too much to ask of the Danish champions to win home and away, even if they have had a week off between the 1st and 2nd legs. Whilst the United manager bought himself some time with Monday’s FA Cup victory, anything but an emphatic win this Thursday evening will see the Mourinho-squawking vultures circle once more. Luckily for Louis Spreadex fancy United to recover from last week’s loss, offering a Manchester United/Midtjylland Goal Supremacy spread of 1.75-1.95 alongside a Total Goals spread 3-3.2.

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