Football betting tips: Europa League
1pt Nelson Semedo to be carded at 3/1 (Sky Bet, Betfair, Paddy Power)
The Vitor Pereira era at Nottingham Forest begins with a trip to Fenerbahce for the first leg of the Europa League play-off round.
He’s the fourth permanent manager at the City Ground this season and we’re only in February. It’s a Premier League record.
Forest started the season with Nuno Espirito Santo. He guided the side to a 7th place finish last season playing counter-attacking football to great effect.
He lasted until the start of September before he was replaced by Ange Postecoglou.
Ange’s stint in the hot seat only lasted eight games and his all-out-attack approach didn’t muster a single win (D2 L6).
Forest then turned to the more pragmatic Sean Dyche. He was tasked with keeping Forest in the top flight and was on track to do so.
Dyche also proved a dab hand in Europe, winning four of his six games on the continent (D1 L1) to finish 13th in the group stage.
Now it’s Pereira’s turn.
He inherits a team in the thick of a relegation battle domestically, so after a 30 year absence from European competitions it feels like Thursday’s fixture and this competition in general is a bit of an unwelcome distraction. Retaining their top flight status remains the priority.
The new manager will obviously want to get off to a good start but from a betting point of view, it feels like the traditional markets are a no go.
Besides, this is a battle between the most carded side in the competition, Fenerbahce, and the seventh most carded side in Forest, and there is a favourable referee overseeing proceedings.
Sandro Scharer is the man in the middle and he has averaged 4.3 cards a game in the Europa League. He flashed eight in his last game and five in the game before so there should be a few on Thursday evening.
At 3/1, NELSON SEMEDO’s price TO BE CARDED is the standout.
He’s picked up seven in the Turkish Super Lig and two in this competition and has a cards per 90 average of 0.26 in Europe.
Odds correct at 10:00 GMT (18/02/26)
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