Europa League Tips: Seven bets to back for seven games on Thursday

• Leverkusen scoring and leaking goals

• Union strong at home

• Rennes can turn tie around

• Read my full preview of Man Utd v Barcelona here!

Goals galore expected again

Monaco v Bayer Leverkusen
Thursday 23 February, 17:45
Live on BT Sport Extra

Monaco continued their excellent recent form with a superb 3-2 win against Bayer in Leverkusen last week. The French team were aided and abetted by a dreadful goalkeeping error from the German side's keeper and captain Lukas Hradecky.

Monaco have now won their last five games in league and cup, and they haven't lost a game inside 90 minutes since a 3-2 home defeat to Marseille in November.

Bayer were also beaten 3-2 at home by Mainz in the Bundesliga on Sunday, and coach Xabi Alonso bemoaned his team's slack defending. Die Werkself have leaked 10 goals across their last five games, and the only way for them to turn this tie around will be to play on the front foot.

Over 2.5 Goals seems attractively priced at 1.84/5.

Italian giants to finish the job

Nantes v Juventus
Thursday 23 February, 17:45
Live on BT Sport 3

Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw by Nantes last week, as Ludovic Blas grabbed a leveller for the Ligue 1 side. However, Juve won the xG battle in Turin, made a number of chances, and were undone by Nantes' only shot on target.

Juve followed that draw with a 2-0 win at Spezia, and Max Allegri's men have won four of their last five games in all competitions. Nantes were hammered 4-0 at home by Freiburg in the group stage, and they have won just two of their last six competitive home matches.

Juve are trading at 1.910/11 to win the second leg inside 90 minutes, a price I'm happy to snap up.

Luuk to a Dutch striker to find the net

PSV v Sevilla
Thursday 23 February, 17:45
Live on BT Sport

Barring a miracle, PSV are pretty much out after a 3-0 defeat at Sevilla, but they have won 11 of their last 14 competitive home matches and can at least give the Spanish side a scare. The Andalusians have lost three of their last five on the road, and they haven't won an away game in La Liga since mid-November.

I think PSV will make chances here, and former Sevilla striker Luuk de Jong can hit the net. The big Dutchman is a chunky 3.412/5 to score, having netted in two of his last three games. He has seven goals in all competitions this term.

Visitors have Sporting chance of progress

Midtjylland v Sporting
Thursday 23 February, 17:45
Live on BT Sport Extra

Sporting let us down last week as they were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by a Midtjylland side that was on its mid-season break in Denmark, but I believe the Lions can roar a little louder second time around. Midtjylland have dropped below their usual standards this term, winning just six of their 18 Superliga games this term.

Sporting have won their last three away games in the Primeira Liga, but more impressively they recently held the leaders Benfica to a 2-2 draw in the Lisbon derby at the Estadio da Luz. They are capable of winning this second leg, and are fair favourites in the Match Odds market at 1.910/11.

Union to extend the dream

Union Berlin v Ajax
Thursday 23 February, 20:00
Live on BT Sport Extra

There have been some extraordinary nights at the Stadion an der Alten Foersterei in recent years, but Thursday could top the lot if Union can knock mighty Ajax out of a European competition. The capital club more than held their own in the first leg, and didn't allow the Amsterdam side a single shot on target.

Ajax like to have possession, and that plays into Union's hands. Under Urs Fischer's expert tutelage, Union have become a team that is happy to defend and then slice and dice teams on the counter-attack. Surinamese winger Sheraldo Becker (who was once on the books of Ajax), is a key part of their counter-punching strategy.

He is one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga, and in the league this term he has delivered seven goals and four assists, helping the club genuinely battle for the German title.

Ajax have generally recovered their form in the league since unpopular coach Alfred Schreuder was replaced by Johnny Heitinga, but this is a huge test. In the Champions League, Ajax lost at both Liverpool and Napoli, and I think this is a tough stylistic match-up for the visitors.

Backed by a vociferous crowd, Union can squeeze through here. We can back them to qualify and for Becker to have a shot on target at 2.0811/10 by using the Sportsbook's Bet Builder.

Trust in Tammy

Roma v Salzburg
Thursday 23 February, 20:00
Live on BT Sport 4

Salzburg have a narrow lead going into this second leg, after Nicolas Capaldo grabbed a late winner, but Salzburg tend to struggle more on the road than at home. In the Champions League last season, they were crushed 7-1 at Bayern, and in a UCL group-stage winner-takes-all clash this season, they lost 4-0.

Roma striker Tammy Abraham may have only got seven goals this term, but the England forward is still getting into good positions, and is overpriced in the To Score market here at 2.588/5.

French renaissance can see Rennes through

Rennes v Shakhtar
Thursday 23 February, 20:00
Live on BT Sport Extra

This incredible Shakhtar team, battling adversity due to the war in Ukraine, has a chance of reaching the last 16 of the Europa League after a 2-1 first-leg win over Rennes last week. However, Rennes' outstanding home form suggests they can turn the tie around.

In Ligue 1, Rennes have won 11 of their last 12 home matches, and they went unbeaten at home in the group stage. With only a one-goal deficit to overcome, I'll back the hosts to qualify at 1.9620/21.