Live on ITV4: Tue 17.00: Man City are 7/10 with Stan James to beat Aris Thessaloniki but could face stern opposition in Greece.
City are smarting after a derby defeat in which they played well and will be backed well at quite generous odds to win this last 32 tie in the Europa League.
Aris Thessaloniki will certainly be seen as weaker opposition and at 5/1 (), are quite a long shot to win.
However, whilst Thessaloniki’s league campaign is nothing to shout about (2 wins in 9), in Europe they are a tricky outfit indeed. This campaign alone they have beaten Ateltico Madrid (the holders) home and away and have not lost a European home tie in 40 years; in recent years, teams such as Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and Rosenburg have visited and failed.
City do posess a high quality squad and will push the Greeks but Thessaloniki obviously know what they are doing. The draw is massively tempting at 11/4 with Betfred and the 7/5 (Coral) about Thessaloniki not losing is not without appeal either. Without de Jong or Milner to break things up in a potentially awkward tie, the Greeks could enjoy a lion’s share of posession.
City take Tevez and Balotelli, so they mean business, and the prolific Tevez is 7/2 to open the scoring with Paddy Power and even money to notch at anytime (Boylesports).
However, it could be the Greeks who get on the scoresheet first, they are 12/5 with Coral to do what Leicester, Man United, Notts County etc have all done recently.
Recommended Bets:
Aris Thessaloniki and Man City to draw – 11/4 (Betfred)
Aris Thessaloniki to score first – 12/5 (Coral)
Compare all Europa League odds and bet at the best price.
