Europa League Tips: Magic Mike can lead the way

Freiburg to march on

Freiburg v Nantes
Thursday 06 October, 20:00
Live on BT Sport 1

These are heady days indeed for supporters of Freiburg. The Black Forest club is joint top of the Bundesliga, and has a 100% record in the Europa League. Qarabag were edged out 2-1 and then Olympiakos were thrashed 3-0 in Piraeus. Freiburg's only defeat of the season was a 3-1 home reverse against Borussia Dortmund, and even that was an unwarranted loss.

Freiburg's transfer business in the summer has proven to be very effective. Matthias Ginter's return to his hometown club has strengthened the defensive line, Ritsu Doan has been a creative presence in midfield and attack, and Austrian man-mountain Michael Gregoritsch is in the form of his life. The former Hamburg and Augsburg forward has scored six goals in ten club games, including the opener in the weekend victory over Mainz. In the last UEL game, he scored twice at Olympiakos.

Nantes were surprise winners of the Coupe de France last term, and they are struggling in what is a surprise campaign at this level. Antoine Kombouare's team has lost four of the last six games in all competitions, conceding a painful 14 goals in the process. The coach bemoaned the lack of response and fight during the weekend's 4-1 loss at Monaco, a game that saw the Canaries go 2-0 down inside six minutes.

I'll go for two selections here. I'll back Freiburg -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 1.9420/21, and also Michael Gregoritsch to score at 2.747/4, which is a price that's a bit too big for a man in the form he's in.

Back Gakpo to make an impact

Zurich v PSV
Thursday 06 October, 17:45
Live on BT Sport Digital

After the dreamlike season they enjoyed last term, winning the Swiss Super League against all expectation, Zurich are finding life far harder this term. They lost their coach and top scorer over the summer, they have lost their UEL opener to Arsenal, and they are bottom of the league. Not only are they bottom, they are deservedly bottom, having lost six and drawn three of their nine league outings. Having been deeply unpopular as the manager of Austria, Franco Foda became deeply unpopular as the coach of Zurich, and he was sacked late last month.

PSV are two points behind surprise leaders AZ in the Eredivisie, they were smacked 3-0 at Cambuur at the weekend and they drew 1-1 with Bodo Glimt in their only UEL game to date, so they have to take this game seriously. Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to field a strong side which should include Dutch international winger Cody Gakpo.

Gakpo scored on Matchday One, and in the Eredivisie this term he already has a dizzying eight goals and six assists from just eight appearances. I'm more than happy to use the Sportsbook's Score or Assist market to back him here at evens.

Let's aim high with Jordan

Malmo v Union Berlin
Thursday 06 October, 17:45
Live on BT Sport Digital

Although Union Berlin are riding high in the Bundesliga (they are joint-top, despite a 2-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend), they haven't yet matched the level of those heroics in the Europa League. A shock 1-0 home defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise was followed by a more predictable 1-0 loss at UEL stalwarts Braga.

Union will be without COVID-affected head coach Urs Fischer, but his team plays to a set pattern, even to the point where you can often predict which substitutes will be made and when. He has to select a strong side here to make best use of facing a Malmo side that has faltered in the Swedish title race and that has lost both UEL games so far.

Malmo have already leaked five goals in this group stage, and they have only managed four clean sheets in their last 17 games in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

US international striker Jordan (he's shortened his name to avoid the tiresome Pefok/Siebatcheu debate) has netted in four of his nine competitive appearances for his new club, and he just seems too big in the To Score market here at 3.211/5. It's also worth considering his strike partner Sheraldo Becker at 2.588/5, as the Surinam forward has found the net six times in 11 matches.

Rennes to be dynamic against Dynamo

Rennes v Dynamo Kyiv
Thursday 06 October, 20:00
Live on BT Sport Digital

Understandably, given the emotional and indeed logistical challenges they are facing, Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv have struggled in the UEL so far. Their domestic league campaign is only four games old, and to be frank, it must be incredibly hard to focus on football when an air raid siren could go off at any time during the match. That immediate danger isn't present when Dynamo play in the UEL, but they are still struggling. The capital club has lost 2-1 at Fenerbahce and 1-0 against AEK Larnaca in Krakow.

Rennes have put together a seven-match unbeaten run, and in the UEL they have won 2-1 at Larnaca and conceded a late leveller in a 2-2 draw with Fenerbahce. Bruno Genesio's side has won three of the last four at home and scored 12 goals across those four games.

I'll back Rennes to win and Over 2.5 Goals here on the Sportsbook at 2.111/10.