Europe UEFA Europe League Semifinals - 2nd Leg

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Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Bodo/Glimt:
Haikin; Sjovold, Nielsen, Gundersen, Bjork; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Maatta, Hogh, Blomberg

Tottenham:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Johnson, Solanke, Tel

Bodo/Glimt will try to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg of their UEFA Europe League semifinal. Tottenham were better seven days ago and won 3:1 in London. It was one of Spurs' best performances this season at home turf. Brennan Johnson needed just 38 seconds to open the scoring , while James Maddison doubled the lead in the 34th minute. Dominic Solanke rolled in a nonchalant penalty for 3:0 after Cristian Romero was fouled at hour mark. And just when everything looked perfect, Ulrik Saltnes found the back of the net in the finish of the match, mostly thanks to a deflection off Rodrigo Bentancur. That was their only shot on target.

Bodo/Glimt already wrote a history by reaching the semifinals. They are the first and only Norwegian club to have reached the semifinal of a major European competition. According to the pundits, this is a maximum for the Norwegian outfit. But one thing is sure, they won't give up. Their fans will come in big number to Aspmyra Stadion and it is clear they will be the 12th man. Some big guns have already suffered in the Arctic Circle. Bodo/Glimt managed to beat Porto, Besiktas, Twente, Olympiakos and Lazio at home this season. And some victories were high, they won 3:0 against Olympiakos, 2:0 against Lazio, 5:2 against Twente. Coach Kjetil Knutsen has the majority of his players available, only Daniel Bassi is set to remain sidelined with a leg injury.

Tottenham are just two games away from a first trophy since 2008. The match in Norway is the first step. Tottenham have two-goal advantage and even a narrow defeat is good enough for them. The fans are disappointed with the domestic results and manager Ange Postecoglou is under constant pressure. Some pundits believe he will be sacked at the end regardless of the results in Europe League. However, winning the competition could quickly transform him from victim to hero. His biggest problem at the moment is the injury situation. James Maddison was forced off in the first leg with a knee injury and his absence is a big handicap. Radu Dragusin and Lucas Bergvall are also sidelined, while two very important players are rated as doubtful - Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min.

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham Prediction:

Bodo/Glimt need a victory to stay alive. And the victory have to be high, as they lost 3:1 in London. Bodo have the home advantage and this is a big advantage having on mind the specific weather conditions in the Arctic Circle. On top of that Knutsen will be boosted by the return of captain Patrick Berg, as well as Hakon Evjen and Andreas Helmersen. The trio have missed the first leg through suspension. However, I expect Tottenham to win again. There is a class difference between Tippeligaen and Premier League. Bodo are solid team, but Tottenham are more experienced side. What is more important, the quality is on their side. Spurs have players able to make a difference

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham Pick: Tottenham to win @ 2.48 with Pinnacle

 

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Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Preview:

Possible starting lineups:

Manchester United:
Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund

Athletic Bilbao:
Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Paredes, Alvarez, Berchiche; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Sannadi

Manchester United are close to the final after they won 3:0 in Bilbao. Casemiro opened the scoring in the 30th minute thanks to Harry Maguire's cross. However, the crucial moment in the match happened seven minutes later. After a review by the video assistant referee, Man United were awarded a penalty for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund by Dani Vivian. Furthermore, the home player was sent off. Captain Bruno Fernandes then coolly placed the spot kick into the back of the net. The Portuguese international scored another goal for the final 3:0 just before the halftime. United could have scored more in the second half, but Casemiro hit the post.

Manchester United are fully focused on the Europe League. Winning the European second-tier competition will be a huge success as the Red Devils would secure a Champions League football. That is why manager Ruben Amorim decided to sacrifice the Premier League. As a result, Manchester United have three defeats and just one draw on the last four league's fixtures. The opponents were Newcastle, Wolves and Brentford. The only draw was obtain against Bournemouth. But the poor form isn't the only problem for Amorim. He will be missing Lisandro Martinez, Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot and Ayden Heaven due to injury, while Matthijs de Ligt and Toby Collyer are rated as doubtful.

Athletic Bilbao were main favorites for the trophy in Europe League, mainly because the final will be played at San Mames. However, they are almost eliminated after the last week home defeat. Of course, Athletic won't give up without a fight, but I think it's "mission impossible". Manchester United are not good as they were in the past, however they are not a group of amateurs. In addition, coach Ernesto Valverde has some injury and suspension worries. Key defender Dani Vivian is suspended, while important striker Nico Williams, experienced full-back Oscar De Marcos and top scorer Oihan Sancet are all struggling with injuries and need to be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction:

Manchester United won 3:0 in Bilbao and almost secured the final (again) in Bilbao. According to the statistic, a total of 133 teams have won the first leg of a competition (Europa League or previously UEFA Cup) knock-out tie by three or more goals away from home. And all 133 clubs have gone on to progress to the next round. The Red Devils are almost in the final, but they shouldn't underestimate the opponents. Amorim will not risk too much on the second match, I expect to leave the ball to the guests. However, his men will try to take advantage via fast counter-attacks. Athletic will try to make a miracle, but their main task will be to show the last week's defeat was just a "bad day". Manchester United usually play efficient games at Old Trafford. The last match in competition was against Lyon and ended 2:2 after the regular 90 minutes, while the extra time have produced another four goals, only the penalties to decide the winners. In the previous round United have beat Real Sociedad with 4:1. The last results in the group stage were also efficient, a 3:2 home win against Bodo/Glimt and a 2:1 win against Glasgow Rangers. That means the last four home matches in the competition have produced 17 goals, an average of more than 4 goals per game. I expect Over 2.5 again.

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Pick: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.88 with Pinnacle