Football betting tips: Europa League
2.5pts e.w. Roma to win the Europa League at 10/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair 1/2 1,2)
2.5pts e.w. Porto to win the Europa League at 11/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair 1/2 1,2)
I have to say, the Europa League looks especially weak this season. Aston Villa are the 13/2 market leaders which tells you everything you need to know.
Unai Emery is a master of this competition, and no doubt will prioritise it over the Premier League at some point, but Villa look a tired team already and have been comfortably second best in all of their league games so far.
A stagnant squad that has played a lot of minutes over the last few seasons are easily opposed at the prices, and instead I'll recommend backing second favourites ROMA TO WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE at 10/1.
WATCH: TEAM EUROPE PLAYER-BY-PLAYER GUIDE
I Giallorossi finished last term in incredible form under the interim guidance of Claudio Ranieri, just missing out on Champions League football, but the foundations had been set, and in the summer they made a big move in the dugout.
Roma swooped and took Gian Piero Gasperini - one of the best coaches in Italy - from Atalanta and he is a manager I rate extremely highly. His work on a small budget in Bergamo was simply sensational, with him leading La Dea to Champions League qualification nearly every year.
The one year in the last five that they didn't make the UCL, he guided them to the Europa League title, beating Liverpool en route to a final with then-unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans hadn't lost a game in any competition all season prior to the UEL final, but were schooled 3-0 by Gasperini's side.
That's the level of manager Roma now have in their dugout, and he has a deep squad at his disposal. Even if their XI doesn't contain any superstars by name, you can bet he will make them more than the sum of their parts.
The same can be said for PORTO, who also look worth backing to WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE.
They were poor in the Club World Cup but have parted ways with Martín Anselmi as a result, and brought in exciting young coach Francesco Farioli, who left Ajax after turning around their fortunes.
Porto are an excellent side at developing young talent, so while you may not be impressed with squad and XI at this very moment, come June there could well be two or three superstars.
They have quality in the sticks - Portugal number one Diogo Costa - and a clinical striker leading the line - Samuel Aghehowa - as well as excellent youth prospects Rodrigo Mora (18 years-old), Victor Froholdt (19) and William Gomes (19) to name a few.
Porto have really impressed to start the season, and have already beaten Portuguese champions Sporting in Lisbon, which highlights their levels under Farioli.
I really like this team, and fully expect them to put a few years of struggle behind them in a big way, with the wide open Europa League a great chance to pick up a major piece of silverware.
Nottingham Forest (11/1) follow in the betting but that seems like a stretch to have them as joint third favourites. Yes they have the manager that guided Tottenham to glory last season, but the squad at his disposal isn't overly strong, and they could really struggle juggling midweek European commitments.
Coppa Italia winners Bologna (12/1) are tucked in just behind them before Real Betis (14/1), Lyon (16/1), Celta Vigo (20/1), Lille (22/1) and Stuttgart (25/1).
There are plenty of question marks around all of those sides, not least the fact that most of them have lost their best players in the summer transfer window, so we'll stick to the head of the betting and back Roma and Porto.
It also goes without saying that the relative difficulty of Serie A and Primeira Liga - especially the latter - on a week-to-week basis compared to the Premier League has to be factored in too, which could mean the two selections are fresher later into the tournament.
Odds correct at 1430 BST (22/09/25)
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