The third most prestigious European cup tournament has its own heroes and losers. But compared to the Champions League and Europa League, only two rounds have been played here, so it’s too early to talk about favorites and underdogs. On the other hand – the Conference League distance is shorter and consists of only six rounds. And already on Thursday, February 6, we will reach the equator of the League Phase. About the most interesting matches and bets on them, the TipsGG expert team tells below.
Sparta Prague vs Rakow
After Brian Priske’s return to the coaching bridge, Sparta demonstrates fantastic form at home – 11 matches without defeat, ten of which ended in victories. The team acts aggressively, trying to besiege the opponent from the first minutes.
Rakow, in turn, shows the opposite tendency – feels best away. In the Polish championship, the “medallists” have 12 points in 7 away matches, which is the best indicator in the league. In European cups, the Poles are also unbeaten in 4 away matches, winning three times and drawing once.
The match promises to be a confrontation of two strong sides: powerful home Sparta against confident away Rakow. The hosts actively use the flanks, which leads to a large number of corners – in the last five home matches, 6, 9, 7, 11, and 5 corners were served.
Bet: Sparta Prague Corner Handicap -2 (odds 2.04)
Mainz vs Fiorentina
Both teams have not conceded a single goal after two rounds of the Conference League and are among the top eight in the tournament. However, in national championships, things are much worse – Fiorentina is in the lower part of the Serie A table, and Mainz is in the relegation zone in the Bundesliga.
For both collectives, the Conference League is a chance to rehabilitate themselves in front of the fans. The “Violets” have rich experience in this tournament, having already reached the final twice. Head coach Stefano Pioli is currently under enormous pressure – a series of failures in the championship could cost him his job. With such a lineup, where there are experienced performers like Džeko, De Gea, and Kean, the fans expect a completely different level of play.
Mainz will have the advantage of the home stands, but in terms of squad quality and potential, it is the Italians who look stronger.
Bet: Fiorentina Handicap (0) (odds 2.35)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Breidablik
The difficult stretch for Shakhtar is passing: this week the “Miners” met twice with their arch-rival, Dynamo Kyiv, winning and losing once each. Now there’s no need to think about the cup, and in the Premier League, first place is theirs. But ahead are quite “easy” matches in which Turan can test new options to enhance team play efficiency without fear of an unpleasant result on the scoreboard.
Not so long ago, Breidablik faced the Finnish KuPS in the Conference League. The teams did not score goals, which generally reflected the equality of forces. Not long ago, Shakhtar played against a collective comparable in capabilities to both the “blue” and KuPS. I’m talking about Ilves – another club from Finland, against which the “Miners” sorted out in the Europa League qualifying without problems (6:0, 0:0).
A similar scenario makes sense to expect in this meeting. Of course, expecting 6 goals in the midst of the season is difficult, but Breidablik will not be able to avoid defeat.
Bet: Shakhtar Corners Total Over 7.5 (odds 2.2)
Noah vs Sigma Olomouc
After two rounds, Noah occupies 11th place, having 4 points and only trailing the top-8 table position by goal difference. Not long ago, the Armenians interrupted a nine-match unbeaten streak, minimally losing to Ararat-Armenia. The team has come a long way – starting from the Champions League qualifying, it has already played 5 home matches in Europe, losing only once in regular time.
Sigma, in turn, has not lost 5 matches in a row, but looks unstable away – just two wins in 10 matches this season. Interestingly, 14 of 19 Czechs’ matches ended with a total under 2.5.
An cautious match with a minimum of scoring opportunities is expected, in which the hosts should earn a minimal victory or at least not lose.
Bet: Noah Double Chance (1X) + Total Under 2.5 (odds 2.23)
Crystal Palace vs AZ Alkmaar
For both teams, a victory in the face-to-face confrontation will practically open the way to the playoffs of the Conference League – on a six-round distance, another three points become a very serious step towards further participation in the tournament. Crystal Palace reacted well to the series of failures in recent weeks, when in four matches in all competitions the team suffered three losses. However, the “Eagles” still feel problems in defense.
AZ Alkmaar won in five matches in a row in all tournaments and is also ready to continue the successful series of results. The team’s distinctive feature has become active attacking play, and the hosts should take the opponent seriously – AZ Alkmaar scores an average of more than two goals per game in the championship. In addition, the Dutch scored in 11 of the last 12 away matches in European cups.
In this confrontation, an attacking game from both teams will not be strange, but in my opinion, here corners will play.
Bet: Total Corners Over 9.5 (odds 1.85)
Dynamo Kyiv vs Zrinjski
Not long ago, the Bosnian ex-coach of Shakhtar Donetsk (eternal rivals of Dynamo) Marino Pušić gave an interview about the Kyiv team. According to him, “Dynamo does not take European cups seriously” – so his compatriots should not be afraid of the opponent’s once loud name.
The fact remains: currently, the “blue and white” are the weakest since the mid-90s, so it won’t be easy even against a team like Zrinjski for Shovkovskyi and company. To a large extent – due to the extreme caution of the head coach of the “blue and white” himself. In European cups, Dynamo’s coach acts very cautiously.
With Zrinjski, Dynamo has good chances to keep their goal intact. But the Kyiv team is quite unstable, so my bet falls on the number of shots.
Bet: Dynamo Kyiv Total Shots Over 13.5 (odds 1.72)
Shkëndija vs Jagiellonia
Shkëndija, thanks to confident home performances, passed the qualifying and made it to the main stage of the Conference League. The Macedonians lost just one home match in Europe in the last five, and that minimally. The team is solid in defense and traditionally looks better at home, even if the matches are formally not at their stadium.
Jagiellonia also started from qualifying, but the Conference League. Interestingly, the Poles have not lost any of their 4 away matches – two wins and two draws. The team is disciplined, controls the pace of the game well, and does not allow the opponent to create many chances near their goal.
The match is unlikely to be high-scoring – both teams bet on organized defense. The most likely scenario is a draw or a minimal win for the more status Jagiellonia.
Bet: Jagiellonia Win by 1 Goal or Draw (odds 1.81)