Thursday night sees the start of this year’s Europa League semi-finals.
Two Premier League sides are left in Tottenham and Manchester United, with Athletic Bilbao and Norwegian minnows Bodo/Glimt joining them.
Below you will find some betting tips from betFIRST focused on this week’s first legs, complete with the latest football odds from our website and app.
And when you place a bet on Europa League football, do not forget our Cash Out feature, which allows you to collect winnings early if a bet is coming in.
Latest Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Athletic Bilbao are the favourites to get the better of United in the first leg at odds of 2.05. An away win for the Red Devils is priced at 3.60, while the draw here is 3.25.
Tottenham really are the pre-match dominant force in their tie, with Ange Postecoglou’s side priced at just 1.29 to win on home soil. An unlikely victory for Bodo/Glimt is at eye-catching odds of 8.50 and the draw is 5.75.
Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United Betting Tips
Under 1.5 goals in the match @ 3.00
Tipping just one goal in a match is a bold move, particularly after United scored five in their 5-4 victory over Lyon in the quarter-finals, albeit after extra-time. But for the most part this season, Ruben Amorim’s side has struggled to score goals, especially with Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee absent through injury. Bilbao are also very strong defensively at home too, conceding just 10 goals in 17 La Liga matches at San Mames. As such, it would be anything but a shock to see a low-scoring first leg.
First half result – Draw @ 2.05
Playing on the idea that this first leg could be a little cagey and tense, opting for a draw when the half-time whistle is blown by the referee could very well be a wise move. United are unbeaten in Europe this season, while Bilbao are yet to lose at home, conceding only two goals in the process. It really is a contest made for defences to shine.
Tottenham vs Bodo/Glimt Betting Tips
Kasper Hogh to score anytime @ 5.00
While Bodo/Glimt are ravaged by injuries and suspensions, with several key players set to miss out in North London, we still expect them to play their part. The Norwegian side saw off Lazio in the previous round and are a team that no one should underestimate, particularly a side like Spurs with 19 top-flight losses this season. Hogh is the joint-top scorer in the Europa League with seven goals and with a long list of absentees, the onus will be even more on him to deliver. And against a Spurs back-line which rarely keeps a clean sheet, we are backing the Bodo/Glimt striker to live up to his reputation.
Tottenham to win and over 3.5 goals in the match @ 2.60
But while we are tipping a Bodo/Glimt goalscorer, Spurs should still have enough to win this match comfortably. The North London side’s season rests solely on the Europa League and they cannot let last weekend’s 5-1 loss at Liverpool impact their psyche. Spurs were brilliant in the 1-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt to reach this stage, while they beat AZ Alkmaar 3-1 at home in the last 16. Those performances need to be the source of motivation for the Spurs contingent on what is a huge night for the club as a whole.
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