Celta Vigo vs Genk
UEFA Europa League Quarter-final, Game 1
Today, 21:05 (CET)
Balaídos
What an opportunity this is for both of these teams to reach their first ever Europa League semi-final. The draw could not have been kinder to Celta Vigo and Genk, and both will fancy their chances of progressing to the last four of the competition for the first time in their history.
Celta Vigo have appeared in three previous Europa League/UEFA Cup quarter finals… and lost the lot. For Genk, this is the first time they have reached this stage of the competition, and so their players have a chance to create a unique slice of club history.
Both of these teams currently reside in mid-table in their respective domestic leagues, and as such European football in 2017/18 appears to be beyond their reach. Unless of course they can win this Europa League, which would grant them automatic access to next season’s Champions League.
Wow, what a carrot that is to dangle!
So where is the smart betting money going in this one?
1. The Bookies Choice - 1X2 Odds
The bookmakers are strongly fancying Celta Vigo, both to win this first leg 1.70 and the tie overall 1.36.
Genk can be backed at 5.50 to triumph in this fixture and 3.00 to take the tie overall, with the draw in this first leg available at 3.90.
2. Celta Vigo vs Genk Betting Tips
The difficult thing when analysing European games like this is that we have no frame of reference; the Spanish La Liga, where Celta operate, is a far better standard than the Belgian Pro League, but with Celta claiming an average of 1.40 points per game and Genk 1.60ppg, we could argue that these two teams are fairly similar in ability.
But we know that not to be true. Celta defeated the very dangerous Shakhtar in the last 32 of this competition, before easing past Krasnodar comfortably in the Round of 16. Genk, meanwhile, struggled past Astra in the Round of 32 before getting a plum draw in the last 16: their Belgian counterparts Gent. That was always going to be a ‘pick ‘em’ match, and they just about got over the line on aggregate.
That said, Genk were hugely impressive in the group phase, finishing above decent outfits in Athletic Bilbao (who are three places above Celta in La Liga, incidentally), Rapid Vienna and Sassuolo to top Group F. The Spaniards could only finish second in Group G behind Ajax and above Standard Liege and Panathinaikos.
So what conclusions can we make? Again, these two teams are perhaps closer in ability than the bookmakers suggest.
We can explore that proximity in more depth when Genk are at home, but for this reverse fixture we fully expect Celta to just about get over the line. They have been strong at home in La Liga (W8 D1 L4) while Genk have struggled on the road in Belgium (W4 D3 L8) and that could prove to be the difference-maker.
So, our bet for this first leg is Celta to win and Over 2.5 Goals at 2.33 with bet365.
Place your Europa League wagers with bet365, who are handing out 100% bonuses to those who sign up for a new player account using our promo code, JBVIP.
Celta Vigo vs Genk Predictions, Betting Tips, Preview
Celta Vigo vs Genk
UEFA Europa League Quarter-final, Game 1
Today, 21:05 (CET)
Balaídos
What an opportunity this is for both of these teams to reach their first ever Europa League semi-final. The draw could not have been kinder to Celta Vigo and Genk, and both will fancy their chances of progressing to the last four of the competition for the first time in their history.
Celta Vigo have appeared in three previous Europa League/UEFA Cup quarter finals… and lost the lot. For Genk, this is the first time they have reached this stage of the competition, and so their players have a chance to create a unique slice of club history.
Both of these teams currently reside in mid-table in their respective domestic leagues, and as such European football in 2017/18 appears to be beyond their reach. Unless of course they can win this Europa League, which would grant them automatic access to next season’s Champions League.
Wow, what a carrot that is to dangle!
So where is the smart betting money going in this one?
Contents
1. The Bookies Choice - 1X2 Odds
The bookmakers are strongly fancying Celta Vigo, both to win this first leg 1.70 and the tie overall 1.36.
Genk can be backed at 5.50 to triumph in this fixture and 3.00 to take the tie overall, with the draw in this first leg available at 3.90.
2. Celta Vigo vs Genk Betting Tips
The difficult thing when analysing European games like this is that we have no frame of reference; the Spanish La Liga, where Celta operate, is a far better standard than the Belgian Pro League, but with Celta claiming an average of 1.40 points per game and Genk 1.60ppg, we could argue that these two teams are fairly similar in ability.
But we know that not to be true. Celta defeated the very dangerous Shakhtar in the last 32 of this competition, before easing past Krasnodar comfortably in the Round of 16. Genk, meanwhile, struggled past Astra in the Round of 32 before getting a plum draw in the last 16: their Belgian counterparts Gent. That was always going to be a ‘pick ‘em’ match, and they just about got over the line on aggregate.
That said, Genk were hugely impressive in the group phase, finishing above decent outfits in Athletic Bilbao (who are three places above Celta in La Liga, incidentally), Rapid Vienna and Sassuolo to top Group F. The Spaniards could only finish second in Group G behind Ajax and above Standard Liege and Panathinaikos.
So what conclusions can we make? Again, these two teams are perhaps closer in ability than the bookmakers suggest.
We can explore that proximity in more depth when Genk are at home, but for this reverse fixture we fully expect Celta to just about get over the line. They have been strong at home in La Liga (W8 D1 L4) while Genk have struggled on the road in Belgium (W4 D3 L8) and that could prove to be the difference-maker.
So, our bet for this first leg is Celta to win and Over 2.5 Goals at 2.33 with bet365.
Place your Europa League wagers with bet365, who are handing out 100% bonuses to those who sign up for a new player account using our promo code, JBVIP.