TFT Issue 320!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Lokomotiv Moscow – over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Today’s featured game is the UEFA Europa League game in Spain between Athletic Bilbao and Lokomotov Moscow. The first leg ended 2-1 to the Russians in an open game and that result leaves the tie finely poised.
I thought Athletic would struggle more at weekend due to fatigue but I underestimated the Basque mental strength. This side simply does not tire and they’ll work from the start to the end of every game. Bielsa’s made them into an attacking machine and I’d argue that only Barcelona play better football than them in Spain right now, although there’s no question that Real Madrid are a much more efficient side than Athletic. Packed full of pace, skill, and attacking intent, you’ll tend to find that Athletic score in most (if not all) of their games. Helpfully, some of their big players got some rest against Malaga at weekend with Javi Martinez’s suspension meaning he meant the game whilst Ander Herrera, Fernando Amorebieta, and Fernando Llorente all playing just part of the game. Athletic are virtually at full-strength tonight with Gabilondo returning as only long-term absentees Gurpegi, Ocio, and Castillo remain out of the side. I expect Bielsa to field his usual attacking side as they attempt to overturn their 2-1 deficit and who knows – maybe they’ll achieve it. They were very good in Moscow in the first leg but as usual their flimsy attempts at defending handicapped a strong display. Their attacking game is virtually flawless, however.
Lokomotiv Moscow have improved a lot under Couceiro and it showed in their game against Athletic. They attack with more conviction, they have more confidence, and most importantly of all, they score goals. Now, Lokomotiv may be a shade rusty as their victory against Athletic was their only competitive game since 2011. However, they’ve got some good players and they know that they’ll have to score here to stand a chance of progressing as draws at San Mames very rarely occur. Lokomotiv were very good away from home in the group stages of this competition, going over 2.5 goals in all of their away games, winning at AEK Athens and Sturm Graz respectively before losing at Anderlecht. Lokomotiv counter-attack well, scoring and conceding freely, so I think we’ll see goals here.
In fact, I’ll be pretty stunned if we don’t see goals. It’s a common enough feature of all of Bilbao’s games but with the circumstances as they are and the attacking power of both sides coupled with the inept defence of Bilbao, I can’t help but feel that this game must go over 2.5 goals, hence odds of 4/5 appealing to me.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Team news
UEFA Europa League:
Legia Warsaw – Novo and Radovic are absent. Last game for Rybus and Komorowski.
Wisla Krakow – Malecki and Czekaj are absent. Jaliens may return.
Sporting Clube de Lisboa – Onyewu, Jeffren, Capel, and Rinaudo are absent.
Sporting Braga – Mossoro, Ewerthon, Vinicius, Barbosa, and Baiano are absent. Palmeira and Imourou return.
Athletic Club de Bilbao – Gurpegi, Ocio, and Castillo are absent.
Atletico Madrid – Arda Turan, Merida, A.Lopez, and Mario are absent. Tiago is a doubt.
Valencia CF – R.Costa, Banega, Miguel, Maduro, Canales, and T.Costa are absent.
Viktoria Plzen – Horvath is absent. Petrzela returns.
Standard de Liege – Seijas, Kanu, and Vainquer are absent. Mujangi Bia is a doubt.
Club Brugge – Stenman and Donk are absent.
Anderlecht – Safari, Marecek, Vargas, and Molins are absent. Kanu returns.
AFC Ajax Amsterdam – Janssen, Boilesen, Sigthorsson, Van der Wiel, Enoh, and Boerrigter are absent.
AZ Alkmaar – Johansson is absent.
Twente Enschede – Rendla, Landzaat, and Verhoek are absent.
PSV Eindhoven – Tamata and Engelaar are absent.
Lokomotiv Moscow – Maicon, Amelchenko, and Ignatiev are absent.
Rubin Kazan’ – Ansaldi is absent.
Lazio – Klose, Rocchi, Brocchi, and Cana are absent. Coach Reja tried to resign but the board refused it for the second time this season.
Udinese – Di Natale, Isla, Pinzi, Badu, Barreto, Torje, and Fernandes are absent.
Besiktas JK – Aurelio, Hilbert, Koybasi are absent. Rustu is a doubt. Tanju Kayhan will play although he is injured.
Trabzonspor – Glowacki, Tayfun Cora, Vittek, Volkan Sen, and Serkan Balci are absent.