FOOTBALL BETTING: Live On CH5 & ITV4: Thu 20:05
Liverpool trail 2-1 against Benfica and Fulham take a 2-1 lead to Wolfsburg in the Europa League Quarter Finals. Chris Hutcheon previews the action
Liverpool’s Europa League tie against Benfica is finely balanced ahead of the second leg at Anfield tomorrow, with the Portuguese outfit holding a slender 2-1 lead following last week’s enthralling encounter at the Estadio de Luz.
Boosted by their away goal, the Reds remain odds-on, at 8/11 with Paddy Power to reach the last four, while Benfica are 6/5 (Totesport) to sneak through and Rafa Benitez’s men can bag the win they need in 90 minutes; a result Betfred chalk up at 4/6.
Liverpool’s defence will be the key to qualification meaning that a strong case can be made for Partybets’ 6/4 marked against a Reds victory combined with a clean sheet. Subsequently, correct score punters should cover both Ladbrokes’ 6/1 for Benitez’s troops to bag the only goal and William Hill’s 13/2 for them to notch twice without reply.
Elsewhere, 888Sport rate Fernando Torres at 4/5 to get on the scoresheet and Stan James make the Spaniard 11/4 to break the deadlock, although punters may have to wait for that opener as the clash could well be goalless at the interval (2/1, Jaxx.com).
Victor Chandler meanwhile, quote Liverpool at 3/1 to prevail following a drawn first period and those looking further ahead can back them at 4/1 (bet365) to win the tournament.
Fulham have been written off several times in the tournament so far but still find themselves in with a chance of reaching the semi-finals. They head to Wolfsburg in possession of 2-1 lead, but they were 2-0 ahead until late in the day in the first leg and that away goal for the German outfit could prove crucial.
Wolfsburg are 7/10 with Partybets to register a second leg victory but punters can obtain slightly higher odds of 10/11 (Paddy Power) for the Bundesliga outfit to secure their place in the last four.
Similarly, Standard Liege’s away goal might be important as they host Hamburg and the Belgian side look huge at 9/4 (Totesport) to overturn a 2-1 deficit to sneak through. Meanwhile, in the all-Spanish tie, Atletico Madrid can make it a clean sweep of home qualifiers – they’re 1/2 at Jaxx.com to eliminate Valencia having managed a 2-2, first-leg stalemate at the Mestalla.
Compare Europa League Odds and bet at the best prices
