The secondary competition on the continent is reaching the closing stages of the group phase. Most of the biggest clubs in the tournament such as Arsenal, Manchester United and Sevilla are already through, but there will be a tense final 90 minutes for some of the teams that still need points to secure their passage.
Rangers vs Young Boys
Steven Gerrard’s side find themselves locked in a battle to continue their Europa League journey. They will need at least a point against their Swiss opponents to progress through to the knockout rounds, but their confidence would have been lowered after a miserable day on Sunday in the Scottish League Cup final. The 'Gers were beaten by their fierce rivals Celtic in that game and missed a penalty in the closing stages.
Gerrard lamented the poor officiating in the game, but the 'Gers only have themselves to blame after missing a host of glorious chances in the game. They have exceeded all expectations in this competition, and they stand on the brink of being the unlikely group winners. They have excelled at home and took vital points on the road against both FC Porto and Feyenoord.
Young Boys are the side that are looking to leapfrog the top two at present as they perch in third spot in the group. They will need a win to ensure their place in the next stage, as a draw could open the door an unlikely qualification for fourth-placed Feyenoord. Young Boys haven’t won in their last two games, and entering the fortress of Ibrox could be overwhelming for them.
The previous meeting between the sides in this competition came on matchday two, and the Swiss side ran out 2-1 winners. Rangers took the lead in that match before half time before Young Boys scored two quickfire goals in the second period. It is unlikely that this result will be matched in Scotland, and punters should stake their wagers on Rangers.
AS Roma vs Wolfsberg
Italian giants Roma have still not secured their place in the next round of the competition, and only a win could ensure that they top this competitive Group J. They currently have an identical record with Borussia Monchengladbach, with only the head to head record keeping them in second place.
Roma have scored more goals than anyone else in this group, but went through a sticky run of results which left them off the top spot. Last time out, they won their first game in three Europa League fixtures. Their opponents this week have performed admirably in their first appearance in this competition, but they can no longer qualify after losing their last three matches.
The last meeting between these sides on matchday two was the first time that these teams had played against each other. It was a testing evening for Wolfsberg on that occasion, but they came away with a deserved 1-1 draw. Leonardo Spinazzola put the visitors ahead before Wolfsberg got their equaliser through Michael Liendl five minutes into the second half.
It is improbable to suggest that Wolfsberg have a good chance of repeating this result, as Roma will be expected to get the win in front of their home fans. Punters shouldn’t look past the win for Roma.
