Football betting tips: Europa League
1.5pts Lyon to win (draw no bet) at 4/5 (General)
1pt Rayan Cherki 1+ assist at 4/1 (Boylesports)
BuildABet @ 19/1
- Lyon to win
- Rayan Cherki 1+ assist
- Manuel Ugarte to be carded
It's remarkable to think that this season could still be a success for Manchester United, with the Europa League feeling like a get out of jail free card.
Win the competition and it could be argued that the Red Devils will have had the second or third best season of any Premier League side when things are all said and done, with a European trophy on the mantelpiece and, more importantly, qualification for next season's Champions League.
United remain unbeaten in the competition, and are priced as 18/5 second favourites for glory, which seems ludicrous given what we have witnessed this season.
They take on French side Lyon in the quarters and this will most definitely be their toughest test of the competition so far.
Les Gones are still in the Champions League qualification hunt domestically in Ligue 1, but with just five points separating second and seventh, they could easily fail on that front, meaning they'd be in the same predicament as their opponents.
Both sides finished in the top eight of the league phase, and both cruised through the last 16, so we should expect a good two-legged affair between the pair.
What are the best bets?
That said, I am very surprised to see LYON at such a big price to win the first leg. They are a best price of 8/5, which means we can back them DRAW NO BET at a solid looking 4/5, and that's the first bet for the game.
Lyon have been in red-hot form of late, winning eight of their last 10 across all competitions, losing only to French champions PSG and a surging Strasbourg. At home, since the November international break, they have won nine drawn two and lost just one (3-2 to PSG), scoring 28 times and conceded just 11.
They have averaged 2.02 xGF per game in that time, so should create chances here, even if United have shored up defensively of late.
Ruben Amorim's men have struggled away from home though, winning just three of their last 11 away games, losing four. The fact they have drawn a fair few games away of late, and that they are unbeaten in this competition, are the reasons we are taking the hosts draw no bet, which means we will get money back if the game ends all square.
With the hosts likely to create plenty of opportunities, it makes sense to back their most creative player, RAYAN CHERKI, to be involved, and his price for 1+ ASSIST is too big to resist.
Across all competitions Cherki has registered a whopping 18 assists in 36 appearances, an average of 0.66 per 90. The Frenchman is the assist leader in the Europa League with eight in just 722 minutes, working at an assist per 90 average of 1.00 which is absolutely incredible.
The most pleasing thing for backers of this bet though is the fact that his expected assists (xA) per 90 isn't far behind at 0.69, with that figure simply massive.
It shows that he is creating good scoring chances when on the field, and I would back this down to 2/1 based on his record and the fact Lyon have been red-hot in attack at home.
Team news
Lyon suffered a blow at the weekend with winger Ernest Nuamah being ruled out for the season, joining Malick Fofana on the sidelines.
The former's absence means Rayan Cherki should start here alongside Thiago Almada and Georges Mikautadze in attack, while ex-United midfielder Nemanja Matic will start in midfield for the French side.
As for the visitors, they are without long term absentees Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Ayden Heaven and Jonny Evans, while both Matthijs de Ligt and Kobbie Mainoo are doubts but will be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Luke Shaw is back available but is expected to be on the bench with Patrick Dorgu starting at left-wing back, while Harry Maguire should start again at the heart of defence.
Ruben Amorim has Mason Mount available to feature, and he will be vying for a spot in the final third at the expense of Alejandro Garnacho. Amorim also has a decision to make up top between Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, with it being the latter who is likely to get the nod.
Predicted line-ups
Lyon: Perri; Maitland-Niles, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Tessmann, Matic; Cherki, Tolisso, Almada; Mikautadze
Manchester United: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro; Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
Odds correct at 1400 BST (09/04/25)
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