Atletico Madrid and Marseille lock horns in the UEFA Europa League final at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in France on Wednesday evening. This game is the focus of our midweek preview and should be a fascinating clash.
The regular season may be over in England, but the play-offs now take centre stage. On Monday and Tuesday of next week, the EFL Championship play-off semi-final second legs take place. Derby County, Fulham, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough are all fighting for the last spot in next season’s Premier League. Who will make it and join Wolves and Cardiff in the top flight?
- Atletico Madrid v Marseille – Atletico Madrid to Win -1 (9/5 at BetVictor)
- Fulham v Derby County – Fulham to Qualify (19/20 at Bet365)
- Aston Villa v Middlesbrough – 0-0 Draw (15/2 at Betfred)
Europa League Final
After what has been another superb Europa League campaign which began back in June, we are now down to just two teams. Spain’s Atletico Madrid take on Marseille of France in Lyon in a mouth-watering final on Wednesday. As expected, Diego Simeone’s side are the strong favourites to lift the trophy, despite Marseille being on “home” soil.
Atletico Madrid v Marseille – 16th May
Simeone’s Atleti and Rudi Garcia’s Marseille go head-to-head in the Europa League final in Lyon on Wednesday night. This promises to be an intriguing final, even though the Ligue 1 outfit are the big underdogs. Will Los Colchoneros be too strong, or can Les Phoceens cause an upset?
Since dropping out of the UEFA Champions League into the Europa League, Madrid have been the favourites to go all the way and lift the trophy. In the semi-final, Simeone’s boys came through two tough legs against Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
Marseille have reached the last two against all the odds, seeing off the likes of Braga, Athletic Bilbao, Red Bull Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg in the knockout rounds. The Olympians have played a staggering 18 games in this season’s Europa League, with their campaign starting all the way back in July.
Marseille will no doubt give a good account of themselves in this final, but Madrid’s experience should get the Spanish side over the line in Lyon. We feel that there’s good value in BetVictor’s 9/5 for Atleti to win -1 on Wednesday.
Atletico Madrid to Win -1 – 9/5 at BetVictor
EFL Championship Play-offs
The Championship play-offs get underway this weekend, with the second legs taking place on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Before a ball has been kicked, Fulham, who finished the regular Championship season in third, are favourites to win the play-offs and book their place in next term’s Premier League. Can they put the disappointment of going so close only to falter on the final day behind them?
Fulham v Derby County – 14th May
After locking horns at Pride Park on Friday night prior to this one, Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham welcome Gary Rowett’s Derby to Craven Cottage for the second leg on Monday.
The Cottagers pushed Cardiff City all the way for second spot, just coming up short in the end. Derby meanwhile, ended their season in the final play-off place. Derby won the first leg 1-0 at Pride Park leaving the tie firmly in the balance. Fulham have a strong home record this season, losing only twice at the Cottage this term. There’s every chance they can overturn the single goal deficit, so back the Whites to qualify at 19/20 (Bet365).
Fulham to Qualify – 19/20 at Bet365
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough – 15th May
The other semi-final will be another cracker as Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough and Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa do battle once again. The second game takes place at Villa Park on Tuesday evening, with Villa taking a 1-0 lead from Saturday’s first leg at the Riverside. With two top managers involved, who know all about big games, we’re expecting another close contest.
The league fixtures between these two teams this season have been tight affairs. The Villans’ away victory by a single goal on Saturday was a repeat of when the sides met at the end of December. When Aston Villa faced Boro at home back in September the game finished goalless and that same result on Tuesday can be backed at 15/2 (Betfred). Good value we think, and enough to take the Midlanders through to the Wembley finale.
0-0 Draw – 15/2 at Betfred