17:45 Thursday

Feyenoord v Roma - Roma Win

Once more, the familiar rivals Feyenoord and Roma are set to face off this evening, with De Kuip serving as the venue for the first leg of their Europa League knockout-round playoff.

Despite being Dutch champions, Feyenoord finds themselves in this competition after dropping down from the Champions League, while Roma secured a second-place finish in Group G. With a spot in the last 16 up for grabs, the two teams are meeting for the third consecutive season. 

However, Roma's recent away record in European competitions isn't stellar, with just one win in their last eight away games, which includes the previous season's Europa League final defeat in Budapest. Their only win came at the start of this season against Sheriff Tiraspol.

Roma haven’t fared well on the road in Serie A either, losing more than half of their away matches so far. With this in mind, Feyenoord may feel optimistic about their chances of securing an advantage in the first leg, however we are backing a resilient Romas Side to come away with the spoils on this occasion. 

20:00 Thursday

Lens vs SC Freiburg – Lens Win 

Lens host Freiburg at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis for the initial leg of their Europa League playoff knockout round encounter this eveneing.

Having made a return to the European scene after more than a decade, Lens found themselves exiting the Champions League. On the other hand, Freiburg managed to advance from their Europa League group for the second consecutive season.

Despite scoring 17 goals in the group phase, second only to Bayer Leverkusen, Freiburg are currently experiencing a rough patch. A string of three consecutive defeats leading up to this match has dampened their prospects of European qualification for the next season. They currently sit four points behind Eintracht Frankfurt in the final qualifying position.

Lens, known for their formidable home record and the passionate support at the Bollaert-Delelis, pose a tough challenge for Freiburg. Additionally, Freiburg have suffered four consecutive losses in away games.

However, despite the likelihood of a home win, the outcome of the tie is expected to remain uncertain heading into the second leg next week. We expect Lens to win this encounter. 

20:00 Wednesday

Benfica vs Toulouse - Benfica Win 

Toulouse will journey to Lisbon to take on the reigning Portuguese champions Benfica in the first leg of their Europa League playoff round on Thursday.

Benfica experienced a turbulent start to their Champions League campaign but managed to rally late in the group stage to secure a spot in the Europa League. Meanwhile, Toulouse overcame their struggles in domestic competitions to advance behind Liverpool in their Europa League group.

Since their resurgence in the latter stages of the Champions League group phase, Benfica has been on a winning streak, claiming victory in 11 out of 13 games following their crucial win over Red Bull Salzburg on matchday six. Initially facing elimination after failing to earn any points in their first four matches, Benfica's fortunes changed dramatically after a dramatic 3-3 draw with Inter Milan, followed by a crucial away win in Austria to clinch third place in the group.

While Benfica is enjoying a period of strong form, the same cannot be said for Toulouse. The visitors have struggled to improve their performance since ending 2023 with a 10-game winless streak in domestic competitions. We are backing Benfica to win comfortably this evening.