Daunting tasks await Villarreal and Sevilla
The Liverpool and Rangers matches are understandably attracting the most attention in Britain but there are plenty of other intriguing round-of-32 Europa League encounters taking place today. We've had a look at three of the tastiest ones...
Napoli v Villarreal (6pm, live on ESPN)
As well as impressing everyone in Italy with their surprise title push, Napoli are giving them a team to be proud of in Europe, whereas the other three Europa League participants made swift exits and AC Milan and Roma trail in the Champions League. They've kept clean sheets in all four of their Europa League ties at the San Paolo, winning three, and face Villarreal at a good time as the visitors have lost two in a row in La Liga to struggling Levante and Deportivo, hindering their push for third. The hosts are an appealing [2.44] to triumph and [2.9] to keep a clean sheet, while 1-0 is [8.6].
Lille v PSV Eindhoven (8.05pm)
Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie's pacesetters collide in this encounter and given Lille's five-point domestic lead and 12-match unbeaten run, odds of [2.2] on them heading to Holland with an advantage are rather appealing. They were defeated by Sporting Lisbon at the Stade Lille-Metropole in the group stage though, in which PSV posted a perfectly travelling record. The Dutch giants have lost in 16 on the road so the draw is the obvious bet at [3.4].
Sevilla v FC Porto (8.05pm)
Europa League progress has been the highlight of a pretty miserable campaign for Sevilla in which they lost their Champions League qualifier - to a Portuguese side, Sporting Braga - are way behind in La Liga and saw their Copa del Rey defence ended by Real Madrid. Their opponents tonight, Porto, are having a terrific season though, responding to missing out on a top-two finish for the first time in 28 years last year by collecting 56 of the 60 points at their disposal in the Liga Sagres. They've won all their European away games too, so have to be fancied at [2.88].
Like the look of those suggestions? A treble on Napoli and Porto wins and Lille and PSV drawing pays out £100 for a fiver stake using the Betfair Coupon...
Published: 17 Feb 2011
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