The first round of the UEFA Europa League group stage kicks off this week with a packed schedule. In this preview, we feature the matchups from the group C taking a closer look on the clashes between the German and a Portuguese side, as well as the Turkish success story going up against a Europa League regular.
Hoffenheim will be the host in this first round encounter against Braga, while Ludogorets will travel to Turkey to face Basaksehir at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu.
TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM vs. SC BRAGA
3-Way: 1: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -189; X: +390 Draw; 2: SC Braga +725
Spread -1.5:TSG 1899 Hoffenheim +137; SC Braga -133
Total +2.5: Over -125; Under +121
TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM
A first-time UEFA competitor, Hoffenheim qualified for the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League playoffs after finishing fourth in the German Bundesliga last season. However, the club fell to Liverpool with a two-legged aggregate of 3:6. Now, the German side will compete in the Europa League Group C, joining three other clubs featured in this preview.
Right now, Hoffenheim has collected seven points after three matches in the Bundesliga, good for the second place behind Borussia Dortmund, the latter owning a better goal difference. They won their opening day fixture over Werder Bremen, 1:0, followed by a 2:2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. But the biggest shock has been the 2:0 victory over Bayern Munich this weekend. Including the tie with Liverpool, all of these matches account for their recent form of WDLWL.
Mark Uth is his team’s top scorer with three goals in the Bundesliga, joining the likes of Robert Lewandowski of Bayern and Timo Werner of RB Leipzig at second place in the league’s top goal scorers list. Oliver Baumann’s two clean sheets at the top flight are just one less than Roman Bürki’s current slate with Dortmund.
After Braga, Die Kraichgauer would embark on a three-match spree in the Bundesliga before facing Ludogorets in the second round of group stage action at the Uefa Europa League to close out their hectic schedule in September.
SC BRAGA
Braga finished fifth in the Primeira Liga last season to book a slot in the round of qualifiers of the Europa League. They are unbeaten in four European games this season (W3, D1), overcoming AIK Stockholm in the third round qualifiers and FH Hafnarfjardar in the playoff, reaching the group stage for the third successive season.
This is the 15th appearance for the club at this level, owning an overall record of 33-22-33, the highest placing a runner-up finish in 2010-11. In that edition, they won over Benfica via away goals but lost to Porto in the final, 0:1.
This is the first time in almost a decade the Portuguese side will face a German club in this tournament. Back in 2008, Braga lost to VfL Wolfsburg in the group stage of the UEFA Cup, 2:3. In the term before, they reached the third round, succumbing to SV Werder Bremen with a 0:4 aggregate.
The Braga team is currently struggling in the Primeira Liga, coming up with only six points after five matches, losing to Benfica, Porto, and Setúbal. Aside from wins in the earlier rounds of the Uefa Europa League, they were also victorious over Portimonense and Aves in the domestic league, as well as Boavista in the second round of the Taça da Liga.
Ricardo Esgaio is one of the Portuguese league leaders in assists. Winger Ricardo Horta turns 23 the day after the game against the German club. Os Minhotos have accumulated six yellow cards in their domestic league.
TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM vs. SC BRAGA – Match Prediction
As the Europa League press kit mentions, the 1899 hope the third time is the charm. However, being continental level competition virgins, they will go up against opponents that are more familiar with the prestige of playing in a competition that is higher than the domestic league or cup.
On the other side, Braga has yet to win in six matches against Bundesliga teams (D2, L4), and lost both of their previous games in Germany without scoring.
Still, Hoffenheim is in a great form and will have the upper hand in this one. I will go with over as my safe bet.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-125)
ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR FK vs. PFC LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD
3-Way: 1: Istanbul Basaksehir FK -137; X: +308 Draw; 2: PFC Ludogorets Razgrad +524
Spread -1: Istanbul Basaksehir FK +127; PFC Ludogorets Razgrad -127
Total +2.5: Over +114; Under -120
ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR FK
Last term’s Süper Lig and Turkish Cup runner-up Istanbul Basaksehir is making their UEFA Europa League group stage debut this season, after getting beaten by Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League play-offs. They have won only one of their five European home games to date, claiming a 2:0 clean sheet over Club Brugge in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. Prior to this, the furthest they have gone in a continental tournament was the playoff at the Uefa Europa League last term.
This is Abdullah Avcı’s second stint with the club, returning in 2014 after a failed campaign as boss of Turkey’s senior national football team. His wards are currently occupying the fourth spot in the Turkish league with six points after three matches. In their last five matches in all competitions, they went WWDLL.
Basaksehir had six matches in August and will also play six times this month. Last month, they had victories over Brugge, Bursaspor (1:0) and Konyaspor (2:1), as well as defeats against Sevilla (1:2) and Karabükspor (1:2), and a 2:2 draw with Sevilla. They started September with a conquest of Fenerbahçe, 3:2. After this week’s UEL fixture, they will take on Trabzonspor and Gençlerbirliği at the Süper Lig before facing Braga to close out the month.
Fullback Júnior Caiçara played for Ludogorets from 2012-15, winning three Bulgarian titles and a Bulgarian Cup.
PFC LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD
Bulgarian champions Ludogorets got to the round of 16 in their only previous UEFA Europa League group stage campaign of 2013-14. They played in last season’s round of 32 after getting eliminated in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
New manager Dimitar Dimitrov has gone around, winning Bulgarian titles with Litex Lovech and Levski Sofia and having coached in Russia and Kazakhstan. His club has gone places this early in the season as well, having played in two UCL qualifying rounds, winning over FK Zalgiris Vilnius with a 5:3 aggregate in the second round before getting edged out by Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC via away goals in the succeeding round. They then made it to the group stage of the Europa League after scoring two goals at home against FK Sūduva in the playoff.
They have been busy within their country as well, losing to Botev Plovdiv at the Bulgarian Supercup via penalties earlier this season. They have already played 8 matches at the First Professional Football League, slotting behind table leader CSKA Sofia with 18 points (5W, 3D). The club has not lost in the last five matches in all competitions (WDDDW).
In August, they won against Vitosha Bistritsa (4:2), Vereya (3:1), and Dunav Ruse (5:0), as well as a 1:1 standoff with the Pirin. For this month, they had a scoreless draw with Levski Sofia on September 7 and a 4:0 conquest of Slavia Sofia three days later. Their schedule for the rest of the month goes Botev Plovdiv at home on September 19, Septemvri on the road on September 25, and Hoffenheim at home on September 29.
Claudiu Keșerü, last term’s league goal scorer leader, and Virgil Misidjan both have four goals each in the Bulgarian league. Midfielder Wanderson has four goals in all competitions. Jorge Broun and Renan have five clean sheets between them in the domestic league. Marcelinho is suspended for this match.
ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR FK vs. PFC LUDOGORETS RAZGRAD – Match Prediction
Turkish clubs have had the measure of Bulgarian opponents since 2000. They are unbeaten in ten UEFA matches with Bulgarian opponents since the turn of the millennium, W7, D3 (W5 at home). However, İstanbul is unproven at this level, which is why they might earn the victory harder than expected.
Ludogorets is without a win in eight European away games (D5, L3).
The math is clear in this one, go with the home team to win!
MY PICK: Istanbul Basaksehir to win (-137)
